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BRETT FAVRE
JETS HIS WAY
OUT OF GREEN BAY
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
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AUGUST 24, 2008
In this
edition of
Volume XXIII
No. 8
CREATORS & FOUNDERS
Arthur Arkush, Robert Drazkowski

and Joel Buchsbaum
General manager Mike Waters

Editor-in-chief Keith Schleiden
Art director Bob Peters
Executive editors Dan Arkush

Neil Warner
10
Senior editors Nolan Nawrocki

Eric Edholm
Mike Wilkening
Associate editors Matt Sohn
Dan Parr
Michael Blunda
12
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AFC REPORTERS
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Buffalo Bills Chuck Pollock
Cincinnati Bengals Mark Curnutte
Cleveland Browns Tony Grossi
Denver Broncos Frank Schwab
Houston Texans Megan Manfull
Indianapolis Colts Tom James
Jacksonville Jaguars Vito Stellino
Kansas City Chiefs Rick Dean
Miami Dolphins Harvey Fialkov
New England Patriots John Tomase
New York Jets Erik Boland
Oakland Raiders Michael Wagaman
Pittsburgh Steelers Jim Wexell
San Diego Chargers Chris Jenkins
Tennessee Titans Jim Wyatt
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Carolina Panthers Charles Chandler
Chicago Bears Bob LeGere
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Detroit Lions Nicholas J. Cotsonika
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New Orleans Saints Mike Triplett
New York Giants Paul Schwartz
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St. Louis Rams Jim Thomas
San Francisco 49ers Kevin Lynch
Seattle Seahawks Clare Farnsworth
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Katherine Smith
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AN AVOIDABLE FIASCO:
Rodgers, Thompson the clear losers in Green Bay

HUB ARKUSH
PUBLISHERS PEN
Distribution manager Arthur Arkush
Titans LB Keith Bulluck overcame a tough childhood,

which he uses as motivation
to do good deeds.
All-America checklist
Editorial assistant Matt Feminis
Subscription manager Kristine Carlsson
We identify veterans and

rookies to watch, and name
each teams strongest and
weakest positions.
Humanitarian
of the Year
Managing editor Mike Holbrook
Business manager Christine Klimusko
Training-camp
reports
Publisher/Editor Hub Arkush
Network support tech. Bob Boklewski
ALSO:
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
f you do enough appearances on talk radio,

every once in a while youll get a question
that stops you in your tracks and leaves you
wondering: Where did that come from? It
happened to me the other night on the Green
Bay Packers flagship station, WTMJ Radio
out of Milwaukee, when I was asked: If the
2005 NFL draft were held again today, would
Aaron Rodgers go ahead of Alex Smith?
In fairness to my interviewer, who is a very
knowledgeable NFL guy, we were talking
about the fact the 49ers were starting J.T.
OSullivan over Smith that night in their preseason meeting with the Packers, not comparing Smith and Rodgers.
Based on the outcome of the 34-6 drubbing
the Niners gave the Pack in the second preseason game for each, in which OSullivan
significantly outplayed Rodgers and Smith,
perhaps the more relevant question is: Should
the Packers have held on to OSullivan after
he spent the 2004 season as their No. 3 quarterback and not bothered drafting Rodgers the
following spring?
But what stunned me was the clear supposition that Rodgers has somehow arrived as
an NFL quarterback while Smith continues to
struggle, when in reality Rodgers has done
absolutely nothing on a football field to earn
his job other than be anointed as the prodigal
son by general manager Ted Thompson.
Therein lies perhaps the real tragedy of
Thompson vs. Favre. Stating that one of his
primary reasons for refusing to allow Favre to
come back as the Packers starting quarterback was that it would somehow be unfair to
Rodgers and that he couldnt risk the damage
it might do to the youngster and his locker
room, the Packers GM created the ultimate
no-win situation for Rodgers and placed him
in a far more dangerous place than Favre ever
could have.
Now, for those of you who are already racing to your keyboards or your pens and paper
to roast me for going here because you
believe this story is over or old news, please
save your breath and energy. Its pretty much
over for Favre, as whatever happens from
here, history will remember No. 4 as one of
the greatest ever to play the game, and whatever his part in the ugly divorce was, he will
forever sit at the right hand of God in the eyes
of Packers fans. Fail to learn from history and
you are guaranteed never to learn at all.
But for Rodgers, the journey has just
begun, and it is time to understand exactly
where Thompson has set the bar. If Rodgers
stays healthy but the Packers are unable to
make it to the NFC title game, where Favre
led them last year, he will be the object of
disappointment and disdain for many in
Green Bay. And should the Pack fail to make
the playoffs or, worse yet, fail to be a legitimate playoff contender, and/or Rodgers
health is an issue for multiple games, it may
be Thompsons fault, but its Rodgers who
quickly will become a dead man walking in
Green Bay.
Had any of these possibilities occurred
after Thompson welcomed Favre back this
season, he continued to play at or near a Pro
Bowl level and then eventually retired, there
would have been nothing but joy in Green
Bay and a honeymoon period for Rodgers
with plenty of patience. Had Favre struggled,
Packers fans would have pleaded for Rodgers,
and if he had stumbled, at least there would
have been plenty of blame to go around. But
if it happens now that Thompson has chased
Favre out of town while painting him as the
villain, Rodgers next job will be for Websters, writing the new definitions of ugly
and pain.
Here are Aaron Rodgers credentials to
hold the job that Thompson insisted would
have been unfair to return to its rightful
owner: 35-of-59, 329 yards, 5.6 yards per
attempt, one TD, one interception, a 73.3
passer rating and two injuries that left him
unable to play the following week in seven
games over three seasons. I have no interest
in debating here who was the bigger fool,
Thompson or Favre. But anyone who doesnt
acknowledge that Rodgers is the victim and
one of the two or three biggest question
marks and gambles in the NFL this season
and for the next 5-7 years, if he lasts that long
is simply not dealing in reality. Worse yet,
like it or not, the odds suggest strongly that
Rodgers will fail to live up to the challenge.
Based on Thompsons willingness and apparent need to toss Favre out with the trash, its
at least fair to ponder where the GM will be if
and when Rodgers does, in fact, fail.
Forget for a moment that there is absolutely
nothing on which to base a prediction of one
MVP award, let alone three, for Rodgers, or
perhaps a Hall of Fame career, as thats what
Thompson and Rodgers bought into the day
the kid was drafted. What is so unforgivable
is that, knowing those were the comparisons
Rodgers would be asked to live up to,
Thompson owed him every conceivable assist
along the way. Instead, he has made the kid
his excuse for chasing arguably the greatest
Packer ever out of town with his tail between
his legs. Show me the wisdom in that. More
importantly, explain to me how it makes the
Packers a better football team. Ultimately I
have no idea how to fairly judge Rodgers or
Favre, but I know how we have to judge
Thompson. Has he given his team the best
chance to win?
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
WAY
it...
MICHAEL BLUNDA ERIC EDHOLM NOLAN NAWROCKI

DA N PA R R M AT T S O H N M I K E W I L K E N I N G
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Patriots have Junior Seau
on speed dial, but theyre in no
rush to call the veteran linebacker.
Word were hearing out of Foxborough is that the uninspiring play of
free-agent pickup Victor Hobson
is a bit deflating but isnt enough
for the Pats to ask Seau back. Yet.
According to a source close
to the team, the decision as
to whether or not to offer a
deal to the future Hall of
Famer could hinge on how
Hobson progresses through
camp. Hobson earned his keep
playing outside with the Jets, but
the Pats envisioned him slotted
inside when they signed him.
Theres also the issue of whether
Seau would even want to return.
Hes out in his home state of California enjoying the easygoing
Eric Mangini was in a bind. Through

minicamp, OTAs and into training camp, the
Jets head coach bore witness to one quarterbacking blunder after another. Chad
Pennington and Kellen Clemens were
alternating reps with the first team, and each
was equally ineffective at the controls. Mangini stood by his passers when speaking publicly, but there was little doubt about what he
was thinking: If we dont get better at quarterback, all of our offseason acquisitions
could be for naught.
Or, more probably, If we dont get better
at quarterback, I can kiss my chances of
coaching this team next season goodbye.
After disposing of all the good vibes from
his inaugural season in the Big Apple with a
Uneasy fit: Brett Favre is far from a lock to succeed as a Jet
disastrous 2007 campaign, Mangini, along
with GM Mike Tannenbaum, raided the
and duration of training-camp practices was particularly
free-agent pool of many of its big-name draws, throwing
well received but he could undo any progress hes
exorbitant dollars to talented but questionable veterans
made if Favre is treated like royalty.
for the purpose of winning in 08. Even with owner
From an Xs and Os perspective, theres not much
Woody Johnsons vote of confidence, they both knew
contention that the three-time league MVP is a considerthat their jobs might depend on it.
able upgrade over the previous options. Favres rocket
By sending a conditional fourth-round draft pick to
arm opens up Brian Schottenheimers offense, and
Green Bay for Brett Favre, the final, and most critical,
hell be able to fit the ball into windows neither of the inipiece of their restoration project appeared to be
tial challengers for the job could have. The Jets were
cemented.
painfully predictable on offense a season ago, with much
But is it really? For as much as the Favre acquisition
of the blame being rightfully placed at the quarterbacks
looks good on paper, it comes attached with a host of red
feet (Pennington and Clemens).
flags that could spoil all the fun.
But there was a reason why the more controlled PenIts still in the honeymoon phase between Favre and
nington was considered a slight favorite over the strongerthe team, and all the good feelings only got sweeter after
armed but more mistake-prone Clemens he didnt
Favres impressive showing in his first preseason action
make many dumb decisions. Those close to the Packers
he completed 5-of-6 passes for 48 yards and a touchcontend that for all of Favres greatness, he was notoriousdown against the Redskins. But Mangini must make sure
ly slow in adjusting to new wrinkles in the playbook, optthis grace period in fairness, Favre is throwing just as
ing instead to operate instinctually. With less than a month
much love Manginis way doesnt extend too much
to learn the intricacies of the Jets offense before Week
longer, or hell risk alienating the other players. ConsidOne, the offensive attack may not be quite as diversified in
ering Mangini is two years younger than the legendary
the seasons early going as most imagine.
quarterback, this may be easier conceptualized than
While Favre and the clubs other key veteran additions
practiced, especially considering Favre was consistently
has Jets Nation currently at a fever pitch, the question
afforded special privileges in Green Bay.
many in the league are asking is whether this team has a
Should the other 52 players witness what they see as
long-range vision, or whether everything thats been
a double standard, it could get ugly. Manginis vise-like
done is merely a quick fix. Its no certainty that Favre will
control of his team caused unrest in the locker room a
play out the final two years of his contract, and the team
season ago, and giving preferential treatment to a newspent so much in free agency that they might run into
comer might not be tolerated from a host of the Jets vets.
salary-cap gridlock a season from now if yet another
As it was, numerous players, most notably WR Laverfacelift is needed.
anues Coles, were ticked that Pennington, one of the
Right now, its all roses for the Jets and their newest face
clubhouse leaders, was given his walking papers in favor
of the franchise. But given the explosive dynamic of all
of Favre.
parties involved, it could all change in a New York minute.
Mangini has worked on restoring the respect from
those who soured on him scaling back the number
MATT SOHN
VISUAL IMAGE, INC.
TOM BERG
A F C lE A S T
Solid play of Bills
O-line leaves Peters
with few options
OLT Jason Peters leverage is
shrinking every day. The Bills' AllPro blind-side protector of QB
Trent Edwards has yet to report
for training camp in search of a
new contract, and the way we hear
it, its soon coming to the point
where hell simply need to show
up because hell realize
theres no way a deal will
be struck with him MIA. The
latest evidence came in the
preseason victory over the
Steelers on Aug. 14, where
the first-team offensive line performed well enough to convince
the Bills that theyre not destined
for failure without Peters.
Langston Walker, their starting
right tackle who has been playing
on the left side during the holdout,
performed admirably, but the particularly inspiring effort came from
Kirk Chambers at right tackle.
Chambers was especially strong in
the running game, paving the way
for a few nice runs from RB Marshawn Lynch.
a marriage as it appears
WE
By DAN ARKUSH
Storm
brewing?
Favre, Jets not as natural
THE
HEAR
HEAR
Disappointing: Victor Hobson has

struggled to pick up Patriots scheme
beach life, and it wouldnt be
shocking to see him slink into
retirement instead of returning to
football. Seau has made this much
clear: If he does come back, it only
will be with New England. The
signing of SS John Lynch only
slightly decreases the chance of
Seau coming aboard. Although
Lynch is expected to see some
action in the box as a de facto linebacker, hell mostly play in the sub
packages that Seau would not
have been a member of.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Dolphins QB situation is
crystallizing more every day. Word
out of Miami is that its pretty clear
that the coaches are intent on
starting Chad Pennington this
season and that rookie Chad
Henne is being groomed as the
quarterback of the future. Penning-
ton and Henne are getting the bulk

of the reps in training camp, and
the coaches clearly have lost faith
in second-year man John Beck.
We also hear that although they
believed that Pennington was a
better option for 08 than anyone
else, the guidance they believe
hell provide for Henne was also a

contributing factor in his acquisition. Pennington is viewed as one
of the more cerebral quarterbacks in the league, as
well as being an outstanding communicator. What
bears monitoring throughout the season is how well
Henne develops. Although Pennington inked a two-year deal,
Henne could conceivably grab the
reins as early as next season if the

coaches believe he has made the
necessary progress.
NEW YORK JETS

The Jets recently offered a notso-subtle clue as to who their starting cornerback will be opposite
Darrelle Revis. More specifically,
they clued us in with who it wont
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
There is a growing sense of

respect for new head coach Jim
Zorn around Redskins Park from
top to bottom we hear. The players
reportedly love his coaching style and
organization, and he has made a lot of
people move on very quickly from
Joe Gibbs perhaps faster than
anyone could have predicted.
We hear that there are some in

the Jaguars organization who have
been turned off by new defensive
coordinator Gregg Williams brash,
sometimes arrogant behavior. The latest incident occurred when he lashed
out at a member of the public-relations staff at practice when he
believed he saw a camera crew tap-
HARRY SCULL, JR.
W H I S P E R S
Jim Zorn
ing his hand signals, an incident for

which he apologized afterward.
Team insiders tell us nobody is
really taking the rumor seriously that
Rush Limbaugh might actually be
interested in owning the Rams.
The way we hear it, Ravens rookie
QB Joe Flaccos demeanor was the
most impressive aspect of a preseason
debut at New England in which he didnt play all that much and failed to complete a pass. Flacco took everything in
stride and was not dejected after the
game, a positive sign for any rookie but
especially for a quarterback.
Dolphins CB Will Allen has had
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
AUGUST 24, 2008
W H I S P E R S
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
an outstanding training camp but
drew the ire of coach Tony Sparano
when he incited a brawl recently that
lasted almost a minute. Its one thing
to be fired up and passionate, which
Allen is aplenty, but Sparano has little
tolerance for anyone who messes
with the rhythm of his practices. Still,
Allen is one of the most impressive
defenders out there.
As viewers of HBOs Hard
Knocks have seen, Cowboys rookie
TE Martellus Bennett has had a
rough training camp. He appears to
have all the physical ability in the
world, but he has struggled badly
with his consistency in all phases of
the game and hasnt been an impact
player on special teams. Hes not in
jeopardy of being cut, but he has a
long way to go.
Giants officials might not put RB
Danny Ware in the Ryan Grant category just yet, but they do feel Ware
has NFL ability. Remember, Grant
spent parts of two years on the
Giants roster before being traded to
Green Bay, where he flourished last
season, in exchange for a sixth-round
pick. Thats why, despite its great RB
depth, the team might be hesitant to
deal Ware, who was signed off the
Jets practice squad last December.
Eagles RB Tony Hunt didnt hurt
his cause of making the roster with
his 51-yard TD dash in the Aug. 14
exhibition win over the Panthers, but
he still needs to show he can contribute on special teams and be more
effective in short-yardage situations.
But team sources think that Hunt
might have pushed himself slightly
ahead of Ryan Moats for the final RB
roster spot, for now.
At this late stage of his career,
many expected WR Muhsin Muhammad to be, at best, a No. 3 receiver for
Carolina this season, but he could end
up being the No. 1 target in the teams
first two games while Steve Smith
serves his suspension. He seems to
have a strong relationship with QB Jake
Delhomme, and his main competition,
WR D.J. Hackett, has been out battling
toe and knee injuries.
The Saints are hoping to avoid
the same early-season slump that
sank their postseason chances last
year, and having a healthy OLT Jammal Brown could go a long way to
helping that cause. Brown sat out all
but one preseason game with a knee
injury in 07, and it appeared to have
an effect on his performance during
the early stages of the regular season. Head coach Sean Payton has
raved about Brown throughout camp
this year, and it looks like hes getting
back to playing at a Pro Bowl level.
There wont be much of a competition to become the Bucs starting
left tackle after all. Heading into
camp, it was expected to be one of
the most contested positions on the
team as Donald Penn and Luke
Petitgout battled each other. However, in an unexpected move, Petitgout
was released Aug. 16 after he had
been unable to take the field while he
continued rehab from a torn ACL he
suffered in Week Four last season.
Penn took over as the starter from that
point on and was serviceable, but he
dropped off late in the year. Petitgouts release leaves Tampa very thin
at tackle and it will likely be on the
lookout to add a veteran off the scrap
heap once teams start trimming their

rosters. The primary backup at left
tackle is the disappointing Anthony
Davis, so the Bucs are in need of
some security behind Penn, who is
still inexperienced.
Vikings rookie C John Sullivan
quietly has had a nice camp and has
been working with the second-team
offense at both center and guard.
Matt Birk remains the starter at center, but Sullivans strong showing and
flexibility could make the sixth-round
pick a strong candidate to be on the
game-day roster.
Theres a good chance the Lions
could replace Jon Bradley, last years
starting fullback, with rookie Jerome
Felton, who appears to offer more
versatility. The OG-sized Bradley
made a splash last year with some big
hits, but hes very limited in terms of
touching the ball and moving around,
as opposed to the more athletic Felton.
Going into the Bears second preseason game in Seattle, team insiders
told PFW that Devin Hester,
Rashied Davis and third-round
rookie Earl Bennett looked assured
of spots in the WR corps, but that it
might be a different story altogether
for newcomers Marty Booker and
Brandon Lloyd and former secondround pick Mark Bradley. Word is
those three players could be locked
in a pretty tight battle for two roster
spots, with the team presumably
leaning toward carrying only five
receivers on the final roster.
Daily Bears observers keep having good things to say about seventhround OT Kirk Barton, who they
believe could become a factor on the
right side of the line sooner than later.
We hear the Packers havent
been very happy with seventh-round
rookie WR Brett Swain. The team
raved about his route-running skills
when they drafted him, but daily team
observers tell us he has had a hard
time getting open and has looked
rather tentative.
Our sources in Green Bay tell us
CB Tramon Williams has tightened
his grip on the nickel back role.
Williams, we hear, has been one of
the teams most impressive-looking
players this offseason.
Heres an indication of how deep
the Cardinals are at inside linebacker
after recently picking up ex-49ers LB
Brandon Moore, who previously
worked under Cardinals LB coach
Billy Davis in San Francisco: Forced
to compete with starters Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes and veterans
Matt Stewart, Monty Beisel and
Moore, undrafted rookie Ali Highsmith, who has been extremely
impressive (he led the team in tackles
in the preseason opener) might end
up having to settle for a spot on the
practice squad.
Because of a lingering hamstring
injury, we hear Cardinals rookie WR
Early Doucet appears to have fallen
behind both holdovers Steve Breaston and Jerheme Urban for the
teams third WR spot behind Larry
Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
Back on the field wearing a huge
club to protect the broken middle finger that had forced him to miss a couple of weeks, DE Victor Adeyanju
has been playing like a monster, daily
Rams observers tell us. Also, we hear
DE James Hall could be shifted
inside in nickel formations a lot more
frequently this season.

Our Rams sources report that
Derek Stanley, who is in a real logjam at the WR position, might have
earned a roster spot with his ability to
possibly help out the teams depleted
CB ranks in a pinch. Said Rams head
coach Scott Linehan of Stanley:
Hes such a great athlete and has
played the position before.
While were told he put up a very
courageous front, our Niners sources
tell us QB Alex Smith couldnt have
been more devastated by the recent
suicide of his close friend David
Edwards, and that Smiths apparent
drop behind J.T. OSullivan in the
battle for the starting QB job seemed
pretty meaningless in comparison to
the tragic death of Edwards, who had
been treated like a third son by
Smiths family.
Word is there is no doubt among
49ers daily observers that Jed York,
the son of owner John York, has
become the teams ownership face
both internally and externally. As for
the elder York, we hear he hardly has
been seen around 49ers headquarters.
Considered an afterthought at
the start of training camp, we hear
Seahawks rookie WR Michael Bumpus out of Washington State is really
making his presence felt with catch
after catch in practice sessions and
has earned a legitimate shot at making the final roster, with injuries to
Bobby Engram and Deion Branch
thinning the WR ranks.
Offsetting the disappointment
resulting from the release of Seahawks
former first-round draft pick Marcus
Tubbs after he was unable to recuperate from season-ending knee injuries
the past two years, the team couldnt
be more pleased with DT Howard
Green, who had two sacks, five tackles, a forced fumble and a tipped pass
in Seattles preseason opener. Word is
Seattle coaches were pleasantly surprised because, before appearing in
five games for the Seahawks late last
season, Green had last played in the
league in 2004 for the Saints.
We hear the Broncos are weighing their options at receiver as they
contemplate opening the season
without Brandon Marshall for at
least the first two games while he
serves a suspension. One consideration that has not come up, however, is
moving Brandon Stokley out of the
slot, according to sources in Denver.
The Broncos want to accentuate what
he does well, and he can wreak havoc
as the slot receiver.
Apparently unhappy with their
experiment of moving DT Alfonso
Boone to defensive end, the Chiefs
last week inserted Turk McBride
into Boones DLE spot with the firstteam defense. McBride, a secondround pick in '07, is a hybrid player
capable of playing anywhere on the
line, and the club obviously wants to
see him succeed to justify the fact
they drafted him so high. The battle
between Boone and McBride likely
will continue throughout preseason.
Although it was widely believed
Chargers C Nick Hardwick, recovering from offseason foot surgery,
would be placed on the physicallyunable-to-perform list to start the
season, we hear hes making good
progress and might begin 08 on the
active roster. Hes working hard on
the side during practices, and if all
goes well, he might be sidelined for

only the first few games.
The Texans Earl Cochran is
pushing hard for Anthony Weavers
starting DLE spot. The battle may
come down to whether Weaver is
able to recapture the form he showed
earlier in his career in Baltimore. The
Texans like Weavers work ethic, but
he has struggled with injuries since
signing with Houston in 2006.
One rookie making a positive
impression in Texans camp is S
Dominique Barber, a sixth-round
pick who played well in the preseason opener and appears to be an
intriguing prospect at a position of
need for Houston.
Word from Texans camp is that
while the club likes what it has seen of
rookie RB Steve Slaton, his consistency from play to play must improve.
The competition for the final spots
on the Titans WR depth chart will be
fierce, and were hearing one of two
2007 draft picks Paul Williams or
Chris Davis is unlikely to survive
the final cut. And the status of WR
Roydell Williams, a starter last season who has fallen back in the pecking order as he returns from a broken
ankle, bears watching, too.
There continues to be questions
in Tennessee as to whether DE Jevon
Kearse will be able to handle the
rigors of a 16-game season. He has
missed more time in training camp
than expected, the way we hear it.
The Colts love what theyre seeing out of rookie TE Jacob Tamme,
whom one team source dubbed a
Dallas Clark clone. But dont
expect to see Tamme moving around
the offensive formations like Clark, at
least for now. The team wants him to
first master the traditional TE role,
which includes blocking and may
require him to pack on a few more
pounds to his lean frame.
Expect Bengals rookie WR
Andre Caldwell to get every
chance to return kickoffs as the team
looks for more playmaking ability at
that position. All indications are that
CB Deltha ONeal will replace
Antonio Chatman on punt returns.
Although the Patriots have pressing concerns at offensive tackle with
Matt Light injured and Nick
Kaczur a suspension possibility
(related to his alleged involvement in
a drug sting), we hear that recently
acquired OL John Welbourn was
primarily added to compete at guard.
Welbourn has started at both tackle
and guard in previous stints with the
Eagles and Chiefs, but theres concern that the 32-year-olds lack of foot
quickness would be a liability against
speedy defensive ends.
A numbers crunch at safety helps
Steelers S Anthony Smiths case to
hold down a roster spot. Rookie Ryan
Mundy, who was having a good
training camp, suffered a high ankle
sprain in the preseason opener vs.
Philadelphia. Also, veteran SS Troy
Polamalu has a nagging hamstring
injury that has kept him on the physically-unable-to-perform list since the
beginning of training camp. There is
no doubting Smiths athleticism
certainly a factor that helps his case
to remain in Pittsburgh but his maturation hasnt progressed as quickly
as the team would have hoped. Nevertheless, he is likely to get another
season with the Steelers.
WWHI
be namely, David Barrett. Barrett has been engaged in a spirited
battle for the job with a host of others, but he reportedly agreed to
take a pay cut from $3.6 million to
$2.4 million. In all likelihood, the
team told him hed be cut if
he didnt accept the pay
reduction. Justin Miller
appears to be in the pole
position for the starting job
that Barrett is seeking. The
most athletic of the candidates,
Miller is coming back from a blownout knee that cost him all but two
games of his 2007 season. The
fourth-year player has impressed
throughout the OTAs and training
camp, but we hear the club wanted
to see how he held up in an actual
game before putting too much
stock in his offseason performances. Still, theres a logjam of
adequate corners on the team.
A F C lN O R T H
McGahee expected to be
ready for Ravens
opener, get bulk of work
The way we hear it, it is not out
of the realm of possibilities that
Ravens RB Willis McGahee gets
a little work in Baltimores preseason finale vs. Atlanta on Aug. 28. If
that doesnt happen, McGahee,
who underwent arthroscopic knee
surgery last week, likely is to be
ready for the Week One game vs.
Cincinnati on Sept. 7. McGahee
has had a tough training
camp; the word from Baltimore was that he didnt
look all that impressive
before leaving the lineup
with the injury. But theres
no doubt McGahee will be the
Ravens featured back this season.
Rookie RB Ray Rice, who rushed
eight times for 77 yards and a TD
vs. the Vikings, will get plenty of
work throughout the rest of the
preseason, but hell be McGahees
primary backup come the regular
season, with McGahee likely getting around 20 carries per game.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
To hear it from a source close to
the club, there has been a noticeable change in Bengals FB Jeremi
Johnsons physical appearance
ever since head coach Marvin
Lewis banished him to the PUP list
at the beginning of training camp
because of concerns about his
conditioning. The way we hear it,
the 5-11, 270-pound Johnson has worked hard to get
into shape, and hes likely to
remain an important part of
the offense this season.
Johnson is an asset in the
red zone and in short-yardage situations, and he catches the ball well
for a fullback. Johnson, who turns
28 in September, has had problems with his conditioning before,
and it is a concern that must be
addressed as his career progresses. But if he can work himself into
playing shape this season, hes
likely to keep his starting job.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
WR Travis Wilson knows
whats at stake in this, his third
NFL season. I just feel like this
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
5
early in the preseason. Diles, who
will start on the strong side, made
a team-high six tackles in the preseason opener vs. Denver,
and his play drew praise
from head coach Gary
Kubiak. Were hearing the
club is quite pleased with
the way Diles is coming
along overall. Another positive
development for the Texans LB
corps is the play of veteran Kevin
Bentley, who is best known for his
special-teams ability. However, he
could also fill a key role off the
bench on defense.
Still No. 1: If healthy, Willis McGahee

will get the bulk of the Ravens carries
year is a put up or shut up year,
Wilson told PFW recently. Wilson,
the Browns third-round pick in the
2006 draft, caught just two passes
in his first two NFL seasons, and
he now finds himself in a fight for
a roster spot. After struggling to
make an impact in those first two
seasons, Wilson said he brought a
different mindset into this
season. I just had to take
a more professional
approach, he said. I had
to know my playbook inside
and outside. Wilson told
PFW he got the sense the coaching staff was pleased with the
strides he had made this summer
I believe they are starting to
believe in me a little more, he said
but he also noted that he had
to take any praise in stride. Wilson
could get a longer look in practice
and in preseason games because
of injuries to Braylon Edwards
(foot) and Kevin Kasper (hamstring), and its clear he is going to
have to make the most of any
playing time he receives, what
with the Browns liking what
theyve seen of reserve WRs
Steve Sanders, Syndric Steptoe
and Paul Hubbard.
ROBERT WATROBA
TENNESSEE TITANS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
The Steelers reacted quickly
when No. 2 QB Charlie Batch
suffered a broken collarbone in
the preseason opener, signing former Falcons and Jaguars QB
Byron Leftwich to replace him.
However, while the Steelers were
pleased to see a quarterback with
Leftwichs talent and credentials still on the market,
he may just be a one-year
solution at the position.
Hes signed only for this
season, and the starting
job in Pittsburgh is unlikely to
come open any time soon. The
Steelers are also high on fifthround pick Dennis Dixon, who is
likely to be the No. 3 quarterback
for the time being. As of this writing, its unclear whether the Steelers will place Batch on injured
reserve or release him, but its
unlikely that Pittsburgh would
carry four quarterbacks on the
active roster. Batchs injury, which
is excepted to keep him sidelined
six weeks following surgery as
well as the presence of Leftwich

may cause the Steelers to
move on.
A F C lS O U T H
Colts coaches unfazed
by shoddy play
from offensive line
The Colts offensive line, a pillar
of stability for years, has been
porous through the exhibition
schedule. It has been especially
feeble in pass protection, giving
QBs Jim Sorgi, Jared Lorenzen
and Quinn Gray precious
little time to make their
reads and prove that
theyre capable backups for
a rehabbing Peyton Manning. But the way we hear
it, the coaching staff isnt all that
concerned. OL coach Howard
Mudd traditionally takes a steady,
measured approach to instituting
the protection packages in training
camp, and many of them were not
in place for the first two games,

when they were particularly shoddy. Additionally, the coaches have
been shocked with the frequency
that their opponents have blitzed.
Defenses rarely are as aggressive
with their stunts and blitzes in the
preseason as Washington and
Carolina were. Injuries to starters
Ryan Diem and Ryan Lilja also
have hurt the unit, but both should
be fine for the start of the season.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Jaguars believed they had
cured their wide receiver woes
when they signed Jerry
Porter from Oakland and
traded for talented but disappointing Troy
Williamson from Minnesota. Coupled with the 2007
emergence of Reggie Williams, it
had the makings of a strong unit.
But a rash of injuries and a felony
cocaine arrest of Matt Jones has
some questioning whether theyll
be able to make good on the
promise the club thought the WR

corps had. Porter has been out all
of training camp rehabbing his surgically repaired hamstring, and
coach Jack Del Rio refuted
Porters recent comments to
SI.com that hell be back in action
imminently. The club is targeting
the start of the regular season for
Porters return, as they are with
Williams (knee). Williamson is dayto-day with a strained groin.
Although none of the injuries are
believed to linger too far into the
season, the fact that the receivers
especially the new ones are
unable to develop a rapport with
QB David Garrard is troubling for
an offense that was on the verge
of making major strides.
HOUSTON TEXANS
The Texans inserted secondyear LB Zac Diles into the starting
lineup because they wanted more
athleticism at the position, and the
decision could prove to be a bountiful one if Diles plays like he has
Titans camp was abuzz about

RB Chris Johnson even before
he sprinted away from the Rams
defense en route to an easy-looking 66-yard TD run in the
preseason opener vs. St.
Louis, and there is no
longer any doubt that hell
have a big role in the
offense perhaps even
that of a starter on occasion. But
were hearing RB LenDale White
is also having a very good summer. Hes a little lighter and quicker
than he was last season. With
Johnson in the fold, White will get
fewer carries. Nevertheless, White,
who rushed for 1,110 yards last
season, has embraced this
change. White starred at USC as
the bruising complement to Reggie Bush, and its a role he may
reprise in his third season in Tennessee.
A F C lW E S T
Broncos C Nalens
knee issue puts his
future in doubt
Regarded as perhaps the toughest player on the team, C Tom
Nalen isnt bouncing back from a
sore left knee as quickly as
the Broncos anticipated.
Nalen has not practiced
with the team since last
month, but a recent MRI
showed theres no structural
damage to the knee. Denver is
counting on Nalen to be ready for
the season opener, and missing
preseason games isnt a big deal
for the 15-year veteran. Sources
say, though, theres no telling how
long the knee issue will linger.
Nalen, 37, has solidified the offen-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 31
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AUGUST 24, 2008
Camp conclusions
PFWS FINAL TEAM-BY-TEAM
TRAINING-CAMP BREAKDOWN
he landscape keeps changing, and the wheels keep turning.

Legendary Packers QB Brett Favre packed his bags and hightailed
it to the Big Apple, where hes currently involved in a crash course
learning the Jets offense for better or worse.
Chad Pennington, the Jets longtime field general, suddenly found
himself in a Dolphins uniform, fielding questions from the local media on the
challenge he now faces as Miamis newest No. 1 quarterback.
Meanwhile, spirited battles for starting QB jobs continued in the training
camps of the Bears, 49ers, Ravens and Falcons, among other teams, as the
brain trusts in the back rooms coast to coast fine-tuned their 2008 blueprints.
In PFWs final 08 training-camp rundown, we focus on a veteran and a
rookie worth keeping an eye on, noteworthy injuries and the strongest and
weakest positions for each team.
Buffalo Bills
Veteran to watch: Coach Dick Jauron
isnt wavering on his decision to name second-year pro Trent Edwards as the starting
quarterback, but Edwards needs to hasten
his development in new offensive coordinator Turk Schonerts up-tempo system if
Buffalo is going to move the ball consistently. Edwards remains hesitant to fire
higher-degree-of-difficulty passes, a trepidation hell need to conquer to keep
defenses honest. Holdout All-Pro OLT
Jason Peters would vie for veteran to
watch honors, but you cant watch a player whos not there.
Rookie to watch: The Bills need secondround WR James Hardy to make a splash,
and thus far, hes meeting the expectations.
The 6-foot-5 Indiana product was a
matchup problem throughout camp and
snagged a TD reception in the preseason
opener. Its incumbent upon both Hardy
and Edwards to develop a rapport, as
Hardy is slated to start immediately.
Injury update: A shoulder injury to
reserve OT Matt Murphy further depletes
the available bodies at the tackle position,
but overall, the Bills have avoided the
injury bug that rendered them chronically
undermanned a season ago.
Strongest position: All right, so its not
necessarily a position, but wed be remiss
if we didnt give a seal of approval to the
Bills special teams. Simply put, Bobby
Aprils unit is the best in the league. PR
Roscoe Parrish and KR Terrence McGee
offer electricity in the return game, but
rookie Leodis McKelvin, one of the top
returners in NCAA history, can be counted
on, as well. P Brian Moorman and PK
Rian Lindell are extremely dependable, as
are the coverage teams.
Weakest position: Quarterback wins
this category in a squeaker over cornerback. Although it might be unfair to
demand such effective play from a second-year quarterback operating under a
new coordinator and system, the fact
remains that Edwards has gotten off to a
shaky start. For as smart and as savvy as

he is, he hasnt adjusted well to the steep
learning curve at the pro level. Until
proven otherwise, hes the biggest question mark on a team whose sights are set
on the playoffs.
Miami Dolphins
Veteran to watch: Naturally, all eyes in
Miami are fixated on new QB Chad Pennington, but the real culprit of the squads
dismal 1-15 campaign last season was the
defense. Pressuring the quarterback proved
particularly difficult, and with Jason Taylor
now in the Beltway, much of the pass-rushing burden falls on OLB Joey Porter.
Nobody was happier than Porter when the
team reverted to the 3-4 alignment, and its
critical that he channels his former Pro
Bowl self for this D to be adequate.
Rookie to watch: Jake Long, only the
third offensive tackle to be taken No. 1
overall in the draft, has a lot of improvements to make if hes to one day be uttered
in the same breath as Ron Yary and Orlando Pace, the other two top selections.
Although a dominating force when hes
locked on a defender, he cant continue to
be taken to task by speed rushers, or Pennington will have little chance of surviving
the season.
Injury update: Considering he tore his
anterior cruciate ligament in Week Seven
last season, its remarkable that RB Ronnie
Brown was back in action in the preseason
opener. But he clearly is not yet back to
being the force he was. As good as he is,
Ricky Williams inspiring play has served
notice that hastening Browns rehabilitation is an unnecessary gamble.
Strongest position: Needing fortifications pretty much everywhere, running
back wins almost by default. Williams has
been very solid, and its certainly encouraging that Brown has been an active participant in practice. The depth is also there,
with rookie Jalen Parmele and veteran
Patrick Cobbs showing a good burst.
Weakest position: Coach Tony Sparano
has lashed out at his receivers on more
than one occasion. A majority of them
MARC SEROTA/GETTY IMAGES
TRAINING-CAMP REPORTS
2008 PRESEASON
Heading south: Now in Miami, ex-Jets QB Chad Pennington gets a chance to face his old team twice
have battled bouts of the drops, which has

forced the Jugs machine to work overtime.
Free-agent pickup Ernest Wilford, expected to be the go-to guy, has been demoted
to the second team. There are high expectations for Ted Ginn Jr., but he has yet to
apply his unique skill set to an actual
game.
New England Patriots

Veteran to watch: Perennial Pro Bowl S
Rodney Harrison has defied age in recent
years, and the Patriots need him to produce
yet another quality season in 2008. Hes
the lone proven commodity in a secondary
rife with questions. Always an intimidating presence creeping into the box and on
the blitz, he needs to be just as good at
covering tight ends in the deep zone as he
was a season ago.
Rookie to watch: Its a testament to just
how tremendous ILB Jerod Mayo has
looked through camp that more than a couple of folks in and around the club are saying that Mayo, not veteran OLBs Mike
Vrabel or Adalius Thomas, will emerge as
the teams most valuable linebacker. Even
more impressive than his rocket foot speed
has been the rapid pace with which he has
picked up the playbook.

Injury update: If ORG Steve Neal
(shoulder, knee) and OLT Matt Light
(undisclosed) cant return to form quickly,
Tom Brady could be in a world of hurt.
The O-line simply looked miserable
throughout much of camp. Other than
those two, most of the key contributors
among the original 12 PUP listers have
returned to action.
Strongest position: With the Randy
Moss-led receivers hogging the spotlight,
its easy to forget that the defensive line is
peppered with just as many stars. Most
encouraging has been the play of DE
Richard Seymour, who appears fully
healed from the knee injury that nagged
him throughout 2007. With Seymour at
full strength, the Pats set the standard for
D-line dominance.
Weakest position: Going by what
weve seen in camp, the offensive line
trumps the cornerback rotation. Injuries
and ineptitude have forced Bill Belichick
and his scouting department to shepherd
in a host of veteran free agents, but its
doubtful any of the last-minute newcomers can bolster this unit enough to feel
good about it. The return of Light and
Neal will be the first step for the O-line to
regain the swagger it had in 07.
New York Jets

Veteran to watch: Is there any other
choice? Brett Favres arrival in New York
ranks among the biggest sports stories this
year. Jets fans justifiably are pumped that
the leagues three-time MVP will be front
and under center, but no quarterback can
step into a new system and be on autopilot
from the start. Acquainting himself with
his teammates and surroundings is just as
important as familiarizing himself with the
playbook.
Rookie to watch: Athletic marvel Vernon
Gholston has endured his share of lumps
in adjusting to outside linebacker after
spending his collegiate years at defensive
end. His run-pass recognition needs finetuning, which the Jets are confident will
improve with experience. What they need
most out of him in the short term is the
pass-rushing brilliance he displayed sporadically at Ohio State.
Injury update: Reserve LB Brad Kassells placement on injured reserve (knee)
was unfortunate but can be weathered.
Starting DE Shaun Ellis has been held out
of drills with a hand ailment, the severity
of which is unknown.
Strongest position: Although he has
never earned a trip to Hawaii for the Pro
Bowl, Kerry Rhodes has few peers among
his safety brethren in the NFL. He picked
up in camp where he left off last season, as
illustrated by the fact that he was the first
player to snag an interception off Favre as
a Jet. He has been deployed with equally
impressive results in coverage and in the
box. Abram Elam is an under-the-radar
type who emerged in the second half of
07, and he complements Rhodes well.
The corners, led by Darrelle Revis, may
rival the safeties for top position honors,
but the two units function superbly together.
Weakest position: With Ellis out, an
already meager DE corps is that much
more ordinary, if not flat-out weak. Defensive end has been the lone front-seven
position not to undergo a personnel overhaul since head coach Eric Mangini
replaced the 4-3 with the 3-4 scheme, and
it shows. Kenyon Coleman is nobody to
get excited about. Ellis return cant come
soon enough.
Baltimore Ravens
Veteran to watch: ILB Ray Lewis enters
his 13th season in Baltimore and the final
year of his current contract. The Ravens
elder statesman remains a capable starter
and the leader of a defense that could have
a different look next season because of
age, free agency and the salary cap. Can he
be the catalyst for one last run for this
proud defense?
Rookie to watch: QB Joe Flacco hasnt
had an impressive training camp, and hes
a long shot to start in Week One if veterans
Kyle Boller and/or Troy Smith impress in
the weeks to come. But the job will be
Flaccos in the near future, and his
progress throughout the rest of the summer
will go a long way in setting the Ravens
timetable for him.
Injury update: Injuries have been one of
the major story lines in John Harbaughs
first training camp as the Ravens head
coach. RB Willis McGahee (knee) is
expected to be ready for the start of the
regular season, as is FS Ed Reed (shoulder). Continuity along the offensive line
could be an issue at the start of the regular
season, as ORT Adam Terry and OLT

Jared Gaither combined to miss almost all
of training camp with ankle injuries. CB
Chris McAlister is fighting a nagging knee
injury, while rugged DT Haloti Ngata is
working his way back after spraining his
right knee early in camp.
Strongest position: The defensive line is
among the leagues most stout vs. the run.
The return of Ngata, a rising star, is a key.
Rugged DT Kelly Gregg is coming off
knee surgery, but hes expected to be ready
for Week One. The X-factor is DE Trevor
Pryce, a top interior pass-rush threat two
seasons ago whose 07 season was shortened by a wrist injury.
Weakest position: Some might say
quarterback, but the Ravens can at least
turn to Boller and hope he limits his mistakes. Our vote goes to offensive tackle,
where the Ravens could have significant
problems if Terry and Gaither cant return
to health and make significant progress
to boot.
Cincinnati Bengals
Veteran to watch: RB Rudi Johnson
entered training camp bigger and stronger

than he was last season, but he has been
bothered by a right hamstring injury. An
injury to his left hamstring limited Johnson to 11 games in 07 and rendered him
ineffective for much of the campaign. The
Bengals want a more balanced offense this
season, but whether Johnson can hold up
for 16 games is an issue up for debate.
Rookie to watch: WLB Keith Rivers
held out longer than all but one rookie
(Jaguars first-round pick Derrick Harvey),
but there is little doubt hell start and play
a pivotal role in the Bengals defense.
Rivers talent was evident in his preseason
debut at Green Bay, when he led the Bengals with seven unassisted tackles.
Injury update: DE Antwan Odom (foot)
went down on the first day of training
camp and was in a walking boot. SS Chinedum Ndukwe (knee) could miss the start of
the regular season. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh has a nagging hamstring injury,
but it is not considered serious. WR Chad
Johnson (ankle) started the preseason
opener, so it appears theres no need to
worry about his durability.
Strongest position: Lets give the nod to
the receivers. WRs Johnson and Houshmandzadeh compose one of the best starting tandems in the league. The Bengals
dont have a clear-cut No. 3 wideout, and
they dont need one to emerge with the
starters getting so many passes thrown
their way. Whats more, ex-Colts TE Ben
Utecht fits the offense well and is the best
pass catcher the Bengals have had in the
position since Tony McGee.
Weakest position: The Bengals signed
Odom to provide a pass-rush threat, and
when he returns to the lineup, hell be
under pressure to mesh quickly with his
linemates. The Bengals DE and DT depth
is a concern, and injuries to any of the
other starters (DTs Domata Peko and John
Thornton and DE Robert Geathers) would
be devastating.
Cleveland Browns
Veteran to watch: NT Shaun Rogers got
off to an excellent start in training camp.
From all accounts, he was downright dominant at times. However, he has been bothered by knee soreness of late. If Rogers is
as good as he can be, the Browns defense
could take a leap forward. If hes limited,
the defense could struggle.
Rookie to watch: Keep an eye on OLB
Alex Hall, a seventh-round pick from St.
(Continued on Page 8)
2008 PRESEASON
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
(Continued from Page 7)

Augustines (N.C.) College. Hall had a
strong training camp, and hes a good bet
to make the club. The Browns hope hell
develop into a pass-rush threat in the years
to come. For now, hell fill a reserve role.
Injury update: TE Kellen Winslow has a
nagging hamstring injury that is not
regarded as serious. WR Braylon Edwards
(foot laceration) could be out until the preseason finale. WR Kevin Kasper has been
battling a hamstring injury. OT Ryan
Tucker (hip) and LB Antwan Peek (knee)
probably will be back for the start of the
regular season. LB Beau Bell (knee) is
likely to miss the beginning of the season,
and WR Joe Jurevicus (knee) is expected to
begin the season on the PUP list.
Strongest position: With Edwards and
Winslow expected to be ready for Week
One, the Browns have one of the more
star-studded receiving groups in the NFL.
Both players will draw plenty of attention,
which means complementary targets like
WRs Dont Stallworth and Joshua Cribbs
will get favorable matchups.
Weakest position: The Browns have
precious little CB depth, an issue that
could derail their division-title hopes if
starters Eric Wright and/or Brandon
McDonald were to suffer injuries. Veteran
CB Terry Cousin likely is to be the top
option off the bench.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Veteran to watch: NT Casey Hampton
was on the PUP list for the first two weeks

of training camp because of head coach
Mike Tomlins displeasure with his conditioning. Hampton still is regarded among
the top 3-4 nose tackles in the NFL as well
as a team leader. If hes in shape and
motivated the Steelers run defense will
benefit.
Rookie to watch: RB Rashard Mendenhall impressed in his preseason debut, and
the Steelers first-round pick will have a
key role in the offense in his first NFL season. He wont start, but hell be first in line
for carries when Willie Parker needs a rest.
Injury update: SS Troy Polamalus persistent hamstring injury remains a concern.
Injuries limited Polamalus effectiveness
last season. P Daniel Sepulveda (knee) is
out for the season, a potentially devastating
blow to the Steelers special teams. QB
Charlie Batch (broken collarbone) might
also be out for the season; the Steelers
signed ex-Falcons and Jaguars QB Byron
Leftwich to replace him.
Strongest position: The Steelers have an
emerging No. 1-caliber wide receiver in
Santonio Holmes and a reliable, move-thechains split end in Hines Ward. That tandem alone would make for a strong group
of receivers, but QB Ben Roethlisberger
also can count on underrated TE Heath
Miller. WRs Nate Washington and Limas
Sweed are capable reserves.
Weakest position: The Steelers are hoping the offensive line comes together in its
second season working with position
coach Larry Zierlein. Having only one
starting position up for grabs (center,
where Sean Mahan and Justin Hartwig are
in the mix) might also help. But this is still
a group that looks more vulnerable than it
did in 07, thanks to the free-agent departure of OLG Alan Faneca.
groin injury on Houstons first play of the

preseason. The injury isnt considered
serious, but Green, who was hampered by
knee injuries all of last season, is under
pressure to perform in 08. The good
news: When he has been able to practice,
he has looked like he still can be a capable
starter.
Rookie to watch: OLT Duane Brown
will learn on the job in his rookie season,
and the Texans hope their first-round pick
limits his mistakes and develops into a
long-term answer at the position. Brown
has flashed impressive ability during the
summer, and he held up well in the preseason opener.
Injury update: WR Andre Johnson has a
groin injury thats similar in nature to
Greens. The Texans are not going to rush
him back considering his importance to
the offense. RB Chris Brown has a nagging back injury but could push for more
playing time if Green cant stay healthy.
The Texans OL depth bears watching: OT
Ephraim Salaam is coming off knee
surgery, and reserve OG Fred Weary has
been limited by a leg injury.
Strongest position: The Texans have
strength in numbers at receiver. Johnson is
a Pro Bowl-caliber performer. The other
starting wide receiver, Kevin Walter, is a
strong, sure-handed possession receiver.
Reserves Andr Davis, Jacoby Jones and
David Anderson also are capable. And TE
Owen Daniels is coming off a 63-catch
season.
Weakest position: Dont be surprised if
opponents test the Texans secondary early
and often throughout the season. The Tex-
AUGUST 24, 2008
Manning with his infected knee. The LB

corps has been decimated, but only starting SLB Tyjuan Hagler (pectoral) should
be out for the opener. OLs Ryan Diem and
Ryan Lilja are also banged up.
Strongest position: Its a nice feeling
that even without the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year (Sanders), the secondary still is one of the leagues best. The
outstanding CB duo of Marlin Jackson and
Kelvin Hayden is primarily responsible for
such a distinction. As hard-hatted as they
are fleet-footed, their physicality is valued
all the more, given the teams injury woes
at linebacker.
Weakest position: Despite the fact that
Tony Dungys defense is predicated upon
getting an upfield pass rush with his defensive tackles, he has made do with his cast
of role players at the spot. But that doesnt
mean hes thrilled with the personnel at the
position. Between shifting Raheem Brock
back outside to end and the shocking
retirement of promising second-year pro
Quinn Pitcock, DT depth and talent are
lacking.
ans lack a playmaking safety, and they will

be leaning heavily on CBs Fred Bennett,
Jacques Reeves and Antwaun Molden with
Dunta Robinson (knee) likely to start the
season on the PUP list.
Indianapolis Colts
Veteran to watch: Although DE Dwight
Freeney and SS Bob Sanders are more
important to the defense than WR Marvin
Harrison is to the offense, the fact that the
two defenders likely will not see much
meaningful action until Week One rendered Harrison the most intriguing of the
threesome in camp. He went full speed in
practice, appearing to be over the ruptured
bursa sac that plagued him throughout
07. Whether he can regain his former
glory in an actual game remains to be
seen.
Rookie to watch: In Jacob Tamme, the
Colts might have the complementary tight
end to Dallas Clark for their frequent twinTE alignments that they lacked a season
ago. While he could stand to wolf down a
few cheeseburgers and milk shakes to add
some girth to his lean body for the purposes of run blocking, Tamme has the natural
receiving skills to do damage down the
seam when the opponents safeties converge on Clark.
Injury update: The Colts doctors ought
to be paid time-and-a-half these days.
Freeney (foot) and Sanders (shoulder)
both should be back on the field for the
start of the regular season, but their
absences in camp certainly werent a
pleasant scenario. Same goes for Peyton
Jacksonville Jaguars
Veteran to watch: DT John Henderson
TIM SADLON
2008 PRESEASON
Houston Texans
Veteran to watch: RB Ahman Greens
second season in Houston could be his last

if he cant stay healthy. Green suffered a
Nicked up: Ahman Green, hampered by a groin injury, hasnt been able to stay healthy for the Texans
trudged through an uninspiring 07 campaign with a gimpy lower body that significantly affected him. Now 100 percent,
hes back to his old ways ways that
have made him one of the most feared
interior linemen in the league through
most of his career. With Marcus Stroud
now earning his keep in Buffalo, the Jags
need Henderson to be at peak form more
now than ever.
Rookie to watch: As of this writing, DE
Derrick Harvey stood as the only rookie
first-rounder yet to sign a contract. Each
day he has missed has dropped him that
much further behind in learning the ins
and outs of Gregg Williams defensive
playbook. It also means itll be that much
harder for him to make the impact the Jags
so badly need him to make in Year One.
Alas, they can take solace in second-round
DE Quentin Groves emerging as one of the
best defenders in camp.
Injury update: Its not a good time to be
a Jaguars wide receiver. If youre not
awaiting a felony cocaine trial (Matt
Jones), chances are youre spending your
days in the whirlpool or on the stationary
bike. Jerry Porter (hamstring) and Reggie
Williams (knee) could be out until Week
One, and Troy Williamson (groin) has
been slowed, as well. The DE corps also
has taken its lumps.
Strongest position: He might have
eclipsed the age at which running backs
traditionally start seeing a decline in their
play, but 32-year-old Fred Taylor is coming off one of the best seasons of his standout career and shows no signs of wearing
down. He has been limited in camp for
mostly precautionary reasons, which is
more than appropriate when you have a
No. 2 back as proficient in his craft as
Maurice Jones-Drew. Throw in Pro Bowl
FB Greg Jones and you have arguably the
NFLs most well-rounded ball-carrying
conglomeration.
Weakest position: If David Garrard
regresses in his second year as the unquestioned starting quarterback, chances are he
wont deserve the blame. Neither will his
receivers. Rather, the blame likely would
be directed at the offensive line. Disappointing OLT Khalif Barnes is in a dogfight with equally disappointing Richard
Collier, C Brad Meester is out for another
six weeks or so (biceps), and the coaches
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
9
2008 PRESEASON
Talent boost: The Chiefs hope Brandon Flowers (left) and Glenn Dorsey will star as rookies
arent sure they know which side each of

their guards should play.
Tennessee Titans
Denver Broncos
Veteran to watch: No one expected Nate
Webster to be the Broncos starting middle

linebacker, but he might take the job from
one of Denvers major free-agent acquisitions, Niko Koutouvides, who received a
three-year, $7.5 million contract in the offseason. Webster played out of position at
strong-side linebacker last season, where he
made 13 starts, and he was expected to serve
as a backup this year. He has outperformed
Koutouvides thus far and could take over at
an incredibly important spot in Denvers
defense.
Rookie to watch: The widespread perception before camp was that WR Eddie Royal
would be purely a kick and punt returner this
season, and that it would take a season or
two for him to develop into a dependable
receiver. He has far surpassed expectations,
surging toward the top of the depth chart at
receiver, and could be the teams No. 1
option in Week One while Brandon Marshall
is suspended.
Injury update: An elbow injury sustained
by rookie RB Ryan Torain turned out to be
worse than the Broncos originally thought
after an MRI revealed he had suffered ligament damage as well as a dislocation. He
underwent surgery Aug. 8 and is expected to
miss three months. SLB Boss Bailey has a
severe ankle sprain, which should keep him
out for the remainder of the preseason. C
Tom Nalen also is expected to miss the rest
of the preseason while he recovers from a
sore knee. Starting SS Hamza Abdullah has
been plagued by a groin injury. It kept him
out of more than a week of practice and may
have cost him a starting spot. Hes been
TUSP PHOTOS
had moments in training camp and in the

preseason where he has looked like hes
ready to take a step forward after struggling last season. Young is healthy, so hes
likely to be more of a running threat.
Rookie to watch: RB Chris Johnson is
pushing LenDale White for a starting job.
Even if Johnson doesnt start, expect to
frequently see him on the field on first and
second downs. Johnson is not just a passcatching back, and his speed adds a needed dimension to the offense.
Injury update: Starting ORT David Stewart is expected to miss the next two preseason games with a knee injury. PK
Rob Bironas has a nagging groin injury,
and the Titans held him out of the first two
preseason games. WR Justin McCareins is
back after missing time with tight hamstrings. WR Roydell Williams (ankle) has
returned but isnt quite 100 percent. CB
Nick Harper suffered a mild concussion in
Tennessees first preseason game.
Strongest position: The defensive line
gets the nod because of DRT Albert
Haynesworth and DRE Kyle Vanden
Bosch. If the Titans can get a strong comeback campaign from DLE Jevon Kearse,
they could exceed the 40 sacks they posted last season.
Weakest position: The Titans WR corps
is one of the most criticized position
groups in the NFL, and with a lack of separation and run-after-the-catch ability
again likely to be pressing concerns, the
focus is once again on the pass catchers.
Veteran to watch: QB Vince Young has
replaced on the No. 1 defense by Marquand

Manuel.
Strongest position: Close observers of the
teams training camp say the cornerbacks
have stood out as the best group thus far. The
Broncos have tremendous depth behind one
of the leagues most talented starting
tandems, Champ Bailey and Dr Bly. Word is
Domonique Foxworth has looked very good
back at his natural position after a brief stint
at safety late last season. Karl Paymah and
rookie Jack Williams also have shown flashes.
Weakest position: The Broncos biggest
concern right now is at defensive tackle. They
are relying on Dewayne Robertson to
improve things on the D-lines interior, but he
has been used cautiously so far because of a
pre-existing knee condition that the team
doesnt want to aggravate. Marcus Thomas is
expected to be the other starter at tackle, and
while he made some quality contributions as
a rookie last season, hes still inexperienced.
Denver ranked 30th in run defense last season
and could be in for another disastrous season
if the defensive tackles dont improve.
Kansas City Chiefs

Veteran to watch: RB Larry Johnson is
at a career crossroads. After a 2007 season

in which he underachieved and missed the
final eight games with a broken foot, the
former Pro Bowler needs to make a major
impact both on and off the field. The
Chiefs offense longs for a workhorse and
a vocal locker-room leader, and Johnson
has the ability to fill both roles. Despite a
bleak outlook for Kansas City this season,
Johnson has stayed upbeat throughout
training camp and appears to have
improved his attitude entering 08.
Rookie to watch: DT Glenn Dorsey, the
fifth overall selection in this years draft, is
being counted on to be a big-time contributor right away. However, he suffered a
sprained knee in an Aug. 2 practice that
sidelined him for the first exhibition con-
test. Dorseys injury is not thought to be

very serious, but missed training-camp
time often turns out to be a major setback
for rookies. His situation will be one to
monitor closely.
Injury update: Dorsey and fellow firstround pick OT Branden Albert (foot) both
went down early in training camp, putting
a monkey wrench in the Chiefs big plans
for their rookies. Albert is expected to miss
the entire preseason. The linebacking
corps also has been hit hard with injuries.
Both Donnie Edwards (hamstring) and
Napoleon Harris (knee) have missed several days of practice. The good news is
that Johnson is fully recovered from last
years broken foot.
Strongest position: None of the Chiefs
position groups jumps off the page, but
their secondary is probably their strongest
asset. Patrick Surtain gives them a veteran
presence at one cornerback slot, while
physical rookie Brandon Flowers will start
at the other corner. Third-year players Jarrad Page and Bernard Pollard give the
team a formidable duo at safety, although
theres room for improvement. The Chiefs
added quality secondary depth during the
08 draft in the form of S DaJuan Morgan
and CB Brandon Carr.
Weakest position: Where do we begin?
Kansas City has a number of viable candidates in this category, but because of its
importance, well choose the QB position.
For the Chiefs to enter the season with
such awful QB depth is almost laughable.
Starter Brodie Croyle lost all six of his
starts last season and had a passer rating of
less than 70 in five of those six contests.
Backup Tyler Thigpen has played in exactly one NFL game. The only experienced
QB they have, Damon Huard, might not
even make the final roster.
Oakland Raiders
Veteran to watch: As QB JaMarcus Rus-
sell enters his first season as the full-time
starter, no player could end up being more

important to him than his blind-side protector, OLT Kwame Harris. Harris lost his job
as a starter in San Francisco before joining
Oakland this offseason, and he struggled at
times in camp, but since theres very little
depth behind him, hes sure to be the starter
in Week One. If Harris cant slow down pass
rushers, Russell and the Raiders are in for
another long season.
Rookie to watch: There are few rookies
who are as exciting to watch as Darren
McFadden. Head coach Lane Kiffin has been
lining McFadden up all over the field, and
Kiffin clearly intends to get creative with his
newest weapon. McFadden had an impressive debut in the preseason opener against
the 49ers, rushing 12 times for 48 yards, and
followed it up with an even stronger outing
Aug. 15 against the Titans, gaining 44 yards
on only six carries. Hes the type of player
who can fire up the entire team and change
the course of a game with one big play.
Injury update: The Raiders special-teams
units have taken a hit recently, as PK Sebastian Janikowski and P Shane Lechler have
been struck with injuries. Janikowski has
been nagged by a strained hamstring, but
hes jogging again and appears to be making
progress. Lechler injured his quadriceps and,
as of this writing, was still a few days away
from returning to action. CB DeAngelo Hall
was kept out of the second preseason game
with a hand injury, and although it might not
be serious, its worth monitoring.
Strongest position: Oakland is stacked at
running back, with a strong trio of Justin
Fargas, McFadden and Michael Bush. This
is an explosive crew, and it likely will carry
the offense while problems with the passing game get sorted out. The personnel is
so strong that the most impressive back in
camp, undrafted rookie Louis Rankin,
probably wont even make the team.
Weakest position: Sources at Raiders
camp say starting OTs Harris and Cornell Green would be backups on most
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
10
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY ARTHUR S. ARKUSH HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Fostering inspiration
Titans All-Pro Keith Bulluck gives hope of future success to foster children
JOSH WOLFF
Past winners
he comes into contact with hope that one day they can succeed in a similar manner to Bulluck in whatever direction
PFW STAFF WRITER
they choose.
uring Keith Bullucks rookie year in 2000, he
I think it inspires (the kids) to do better, to keep on going
2007 DREW BREES, SAINTS
attended a charity event in Chicago for diabetes
despite what your situation is and that you can make it
2006 ROY WILLIAMS, COWBOYS
hosted by Donovan McNabb, Bullucks collegiate
through, White says. As Keith says, you have to play the
2005 BRIAN MOORMAN, BILLS
teammate at Syracuse. McNabb had lost his
hand youre dealt, and thats what they learn from him. Your
grandmother to diabetes-related complications
life may not be so bright right now, but you still have a future
2004 KEVIN CARTER, TITANS
and his father was also afflicted by Type 2 diaand you can help make your future.
2003 TONY RICHARDSON, CHIEFS
betes.
During the month of October, Bulluck hosts a Halloween
2002 RUBEN BROWN, BILLS
While attending the event and watching McParty at the Nashville Zoo for children from the Department
2001 DERRICK BROOKS, BUCCANEERS
Nabb attempt to make a difference in the world,
of Childrens Services of Middle Tennessee. Bulluck, his
2000 CHRIS SANDERS, TITANS
Bulluck told himself if he had the opportunity to do someteammates and other celebrity friends provide the children
thing similar, he would. Fast-forward to 2003 and Bulluck
with goody bags and interact with them in activities and
1999 WILL SHIELDS, CHIEFS
did something: He created the Keith Bulluck Believe and
games.
Achieve Foundation to help foster
The personal interaction is how
children. The name of the foundaBulluck separates himself from
tion arises from the mindset Bulother foundations. He talks to the
luck had when he was a youth as
children one-on-one, tells them his
a foster child himself in New York.
story and answers all of their quesIf you believe in yourself and
tions. The children can be shy at
your goals and what you want to
first, but once they realize Bulluck
be, youll definitely achieve, he
is a former foster child who has had
says. If youre a strong-willed
similar emotions during his foster
person and believe in who you are,
care stay, he sheds the football
nothing is impossible. Ive been
player label and becomes their
doubted over and over again, comfriend.
ing up in my childhood, adolesKeith is a hands-on person and
cence, college and as a young
every event focuses on the kids with
adult. You just got to keep fighttheir participation and his participaing.
tion, White says. When we have
Thanks to his tremendous efforts
an event, its just for the kids. Most
working with foster children in
of our events are not fundraisers,
New York, Tennessee and countless
theyre just for the kids to be
other places, the Tennessee Titans
exposed to Keith and learn from his
linebacker has been named the
situation. Thats the highlight of the
10th annual winner of the Pro
foundation for him, just to talk to
Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush
the kids and tell them about his sitHumanitarian Award.
uation and how important it is to
It means a lot because I have
stay in school and get a good eduwon a lot of awards, but a humanication. That helps them just by
tarian award is something that I
Keith being there and telling his
never even thought about winning,
story.
and I dont think people try to seek
Bulluck also acts as a spokesperout and win humanitarian awards,
son for National Foster Care
he says. I think its just something
Month, a campaign whose goal is to
that people see in you from your
give people access to information
about foster care and educate them
actions. People say actions speak
about the issue.
louder than words and I think my
His responsibilities include
actions definitely have shown by
speaking at conferences, speaking
me winning this great and prestiin front of other leadership groups,
gious award.
speaking to children and families
Bullucks story of working with
and speaking to employers about
foster children comes from his own
giving jobs to foster care members.
emotional story. As a 12-year-old,
Taking the lead: A recipient of school supplies in Keith Bullucks book drive receives a stretching lesson from the Titans star
Bulluck has worked with foster
Bullucks mother was having
children to help them receive comfinancial difficulties and could not
things they want to do. I just want to be an example of someputer certifications that increase their prospects for jobs and
sufficiently care for him. His expected three-week stay in fosone who has overcome a situation theyre in and has gone on
give them brighter futures.
ter care ended up lasting six years. As could be imagined,
to do bigger and better things.
The sincerity in his actions is evident to everyone who has
Bulluck had many ambivalent emotions.
Bullucks foundation is simply about interaction and trying
worked with Bulluck. In fact, he reached out to National FosI was sad, mad, confused, frustrated, he says. Not living
to give children, who may be in great distress over their situter Care Month to get involved because of his immense desire
with your family, knowing the situation is real bleak living
ation, a day of happiness and relief. Some of the most importo impact childrens lives.
with your mom, it was tough. I was feeling abandoned. I was
tant events that Bulluck hosts occur around important family
I think that Keith really wants to give back he doesnt
only 12, even though I might have had an older mentality, at
times, like holidays. Bulluck has an annual Thanksgiving
just have a foundation that he is the face of, hes really
the end of the day, I was just a 12-year-old boy.
involved and actually very hands-on, says Virginia Pryor, the
turkey giveaway where he gives away turkey dinners to famBulluck, now 31, says that his foster care stay, despite the
former chair of National Foster Care Month and current
ilies in need from the Department of Childrens Services.
emotional toll, was not unhealthy. His foster mom cared for
Director of Strategic Consulting at Casey Family Programs.
I think Thanksgiving is big because its a whole family
him well and helped him enjoy his childhood. After attending
Keith interacts with the children, he doesnt just sign autothing and the foster parents and kids are very gracious and
Syracuse University on a football scholarship and being
graphs, he talks about the importance of giving back. He
thankful, he says. The kids come up to me and give me
drafted in the first round by the Titans, Bulluck became
works directly with the child welfare system in Tennessee
blessed with fame and fortune key ingredients to starting
hugs and tell me thanks for the turkey. The foster parents
and for our organization thats very important because then
his own foundation and becoming a consummate example of
might have seven kids and only be able to afford one turkey
its not just lip service.
success from misfortune.
and for us to supply them with Thanksgiving dinner, I think
In March of 2007, Bulluck participated in Celebrity Read
I just hope to give foster children hope, he says. Let
its great. Everybody should have turkey on Thanksgiving.
Across America Day at the New York Public Library. Bulluck
them know that just because theyre in a difficult situation
Scharlene White, executive director of the Believe and
makes sure the children he speaks to know the importance of
doesnt mean that they cant have a normal life and do the
Achieve Foundation, says that Bulluck gives all the children
By
COURTESY OF THE TENNESSEE TITANS
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
Leading advocate: Keith Bulluck is a vocal and passionate

spokesperson of the foster care system
A look at the nominees and finalists
just be around these ladies and gentlemen because they

defend our country and fight for our freedom.
Although Bulluck has done other charitable work,
most of his time is spent with foster children. Now,
though, he wants to take his foundation in a new direction.
Bulluck says he wants to create programs for foster
children in many different areas, including music,
drawing and acting. His goal is to develop foster childrens skills in many different ways at a young age,
with the hope of giving them more career options in the
future. This past summer, Bulluck spent much of his
time networking, going out to other charitable events,
looking for new ideas and meeting different people who
can help with his foundation and its new direction.
What makes Bulluck so special is that he not only
works hard for his foundation, but also helps with so
many other events, often making appearances for
friends and other teammates.
Keith has been a friend for a number of years and is
a great person, says Jevon Kearse, now back with the
Titans after a four-year stint with the Eagles. Any time
I have asked him to help me out with a charity event, he
has been there. After I left for Philadelphia, he even
called me one year to see when the event was going to
be so he could be there.
Bulluck says that his teammates are supportive of his
endeavors and always willing to lend a helping hand.
He also says the Titans organization has been very
helpful in allowing many of his events to take place.
It is very important to my wife (Nancy) and me that
everyone in the Titans organization accepts their
responsibility to help improve the lives of those less
fortunate, and Keith has clearly done just that with his
dedication to helping others, says Titans owner K.S.
Bud Adams Jr.
Bulluck makes sure that his foundation is truly his,
insisting that everything be done in a first-class manner.
Any decision made about the foundation is run through
Bulluck, ensuring that he is not only the head, but also
the most involved person of the foundation.
I didnt start my foundation for recognition, I started it because it was something I really wanted to do,
Bulluck says. I really didnt realize that the foundation
could get this big, but to me its definitely important to
be hands-on because its my product.
For Bulluck, time is no object and he is able to host
all these events for the children because his foundation
has become such an integral part of his life. Speaking to
foster children about the issues of staying in school,
giving back when they can and becoming better citizens
is as natural as tackling football players on Sundays
and Bulluck wouldnt have it any other way.
The glowing smiles on the faces of the children Bulluck works with is all the reward that he wants, and
when he sees the bright teeth shine of a child, who
might be dealing with many trials and tribulations, he
knows he has made a monumental difference.
education because his own college education is something he doesnt take for granted.
(Children) really open up to me and show me their
report cards and tell me theyre going on to college,
Bulluck says. Thats why I want to start developing
grants and help these kids with money from my foundation to get them into college if they cant afford it.
Honestly, I knew I wanted to go college and I earned a
scholarship. But if I didnt get a scholarship, I might not
have gone to college.
Further emphasizing the importance of education,
Bulluck has hosted an annual back to school Book Bag
Drive. He invites foster children, as well as other
underprivileged children, to the Titans training camp
where they watch practice, get autographs and receive
book bags and school supplies for the upcoming school
year. In last years drive, Bulluck donated 300 book
bags filled with school supplies.
As rewarding as his time working with foster children has been, Bulluck also has enjoyed spending time
with military troops. Last year, Bulluck went to Fort
Campbell, an Army installation located on the border of
Kentucky and Tennessee that also serves as the home to
the 101st Airborne Division.
I think its cool to go to the military base because
the last time I went to Fort Campbell, I actually had
lunch with a solider that went to high school with my
nephew, Bulluck says. We were from the same area,
so we could talk about the same things. A lot of those
guys are football fans and Im starting to realize how
young they are. Youve got kids from 19-24 years old
and older, but usually the ones we come into contact
with are the younger ones. Its a real honor for me to
Supporting troops: Keith Bulluck spends time with a soldier at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital located in Fort Campbell, Ky.
11
Each NFL team was given a chance to nominate one player for
the 10th annual Pro Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award, which is designed to honor athletes whose hard
work is hands-on in their communities. PFWs editorial staff voted
and selected five finalists from the 26 nominees, and PFWs editors then voted to determine the winner. All nominators and voters were instructed not to consider a players skill level or name
recognition in their decisions.
Besides winner Keith Bulluck, the other finalists were:
Chris Draft, Rams Founded in 2006, the Chris Draft Family Foundation helps promote healthy family lifestyles. By educating
families about physical fitness, nutrition, health maintenance and
healthy living conditions, Drafts foundation helps families live
healthier both physically and mentally. Each year Draft hosts Draft
Day, which brings together standout local community groups and
the most dedicated kids from the groups. The most recent Draft
Day was held May 17, 2008, at the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls
Club in St. Louis. The goal was not only to teach the kids about
health and nutrition, but how to spread the knowledge they learn
throughout their communities. Draft
also created the Asthma Team in
Here is an alphabetical list
2007 to promote asthma awareness
of the 26 players nomi after he had an asthma attack of his
nated for the 10th annual
own during the first week of Rams
Pro Football Weekly
training camp.
Arthur S. Arkush
Mike Furrey, Lions FoundHumanitarian Award:
ed in 2006 by Furrey and his wife
Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders
Koren, the Mike Furrey Foundations
Charlie Batch, Steelers
mission is to improve the lives of
those that are hungry, homeless,
Josh Bidwell, Buccaneers
hurting and/or hopeful. Furreys
Matt Birk, Vikings
foundation is involved in many
Keith Bulluck, Titans
fundraising events. In June of 2007,
Jerricho Cotchery, Jets
Furrey hosted his first-ever celebrity
golf tournament, which raised more
Ryan Diem, Colts
than $120,000. The golf tournament
Chris Draft, Rams
was followed up by a Halloween
Donnie Edwards, Chiefs
bowling party that he organized in
Bobby Engram, Seahawks
the Detroit area, which raised more
Domonique Foxworth, Broncos
than $60,000. His foundation
donates much of the money to the
Mike Furrey, Lions
Lutheran Social Services of Central
Shayne Graham, Bengals
Ohio. In addition to fundraising
Deuce Lutui, Cardinals
events, Furrey thoroughly enjoys
Eli Manning, Giants
interacting with children. Every two
Mike McKenzie, Saints
weeks, Furrey hosts a Fellowship of
Christian Athletes meeting at his
Santana Moss, Redskins
house where between 40-50 chilAntwan Peek, Browns
dren learn to better handle life situaMike Peterson, Jaguars
tions. In conjunction with the RainSteve Smith, Panthers
bow Connection, Furrey and his wife
grant wish trips to families. This past
Charles Tillman, Bears
February, they took a family to the
LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
Carribean and helped entertain the
Ty Warren, Patriots
familys children, as well.
Daniel Wilcox, Ravens
Mike Peterson, Jaguars In
Jason Witten, Cowboys
2005, he founded the Mike Peterson
Foundation, whose goal is to beneScott Young, Eagles
fit the underserved youth and socioeconomically challenged families in
his hometown of Alachua, Fla., and around Jacksonville. His Back
to School program helps students who do not have the ability to
obtain the necessary school supplies. The program, in conjunction
with Office Depot, supplied more than 250 backpacks filled with
school supplies and books to children in Alachua and Duval counties. He also hosts free youth football camps for boys and girls
between the ages of 8-17. At the camps, the children are coached
by past and present football players with the camps goal to improve
fundamentals, technique and sportsmanship. Peterson also rewards
students in the Duval County public schools who show dedication to
reading by giving 12 students monthly VIP meet-and-greet tours at
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Each student is allowed to step
onto the playing field and receives a personalized award.
Jason Witten, Cowboys Witten founded the SCORE foundation, standing for Support, Community, Overcome, Rebuild and
Educate, in 2007. The foundations goal is to benefit and support
families in crisis, with the goal to help these families overcome hardship and rebuild their lives. Witten focuses much of his philanthropy
on preventing domestic violence. Since his rookie year, he has participated in the NFLs Take a Player to School program and has
been a lead spokesperson for the NFLs Play 60 program, which
emphasizes the importance of at least 60 minutes of physical activity for kids per day. His 2008 All-Star Bowl held at USA Bowl in Dallas raised more than $225,000 for his foundation. With NFL and
NBA players as guests, proceeds from the event went to a male
mentorship program for children living with their mothers in Dallasarea abuse centers and to the construction of learning centers.
JOSH WOLFF
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
12
AUGUST 24, 2008
2008 PRESEASON
ALL-AMERICA
CHECKLIST
CHECKLIST
By
NOLAN NAWROCKI
SENIOR EDITOR
ased on a summer spent studying film and consulting with college coaches and NFL scouts,
Pro Football Weekly has pieced together a preliminary All-America checklist featuring the top
talent in the country, players we expect to contend for top honors at seasons end. No doubt some
players will emerge as first-time starters and others will
fall off due to injuries and the loss of talent around
them, but based on 2007, here are the top players to
watch:
Editors note: Underclassmen are denoted by asterisks, with
juniors having one asterisk (*), sophomores having two (**).
GRADING SYSTEM FOR

ALL-AMERICA CANDIDATES
Players are rated as collegians, not
as pro prospects.
5+ All-America-caliber player worthy of Heisman consideration.
5 All-America-caliber player.
4 Could develop into an All-America-caliber player with a strong year.
3+ Outside chance to develop into
an All-America player this year.
X Player coming off a major injury.
Marvin Austin** / North Carolina 5

Peria Jerry / Mississippi 5
Gerald McCoy / Oklahoma** 4
Terrance Taylor / Michigan 4
Evander Hood / Missouri 3+
Vance Walker / Georgia Tech 3+
Ricky Jean-Francois / LSU* 3+
Ndamukong Suh / Nebraska* 3+
FULLBACKS
Brannan Southerland / Georgia 3+ X
Tony Fiammetta / Syracuse 3+
TIGHT ENDS
Brandon Pettigrew / Oklahoma State 5
Chase Coffman / Missouri 5
Jermaine Gresham / Oklahoma* 4
Travis Beckum / Wisconsin 4
COURTESY OF MISSOURI
WIDE RECEIVERS
Jeremy Maclin
Jeremy Maclin / Missouri** 5+

Michael Crabtree / Texas Tech** 5+
Darrius Heyward-Bey / Maryland* 5
Kenny Britt / Rutgers* 4
Arrelious Benn / Illinois** 4
Demaryius Thomas / Georgia Tech** 4
Derrick Williams / Penn State 4
Percy Harvin / Florida* 3+ X
Mohamed Massaquoi / Georgia 3
CENTERS
Alex Mack / Califorinia 5
Jonathan Luigs / Arkansas 4
Eric Wood / Louisville 4
Max Unger / Oregon 4
Brian Orakpo / Texas 4

Michael Johnson / Georgia Tech 4
Everette Brown / Florida State* 4
Tyson Jackson / LSU 4
Auston English / Oklahoma* 4 X
George Selvie / South Florida* 4
Greg Middleton / Indiana*
Willie Young / North Carolina State* 3+
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
James Laurinaitis / Ohio State 5+
Rey Maualuga / USC 5
Rolando McClain / Alabama** 5
Darry Beckwith / LSU 5
Dannell Ellerbe / Georgia 4
Brandon Spikes / Florida* 4
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Aaron Curry / Wake Forest 5
Clint Sintim / Virginia 5
Brian Cushing / USC 4
Darryl Sharpton / Miami (Fla.)* 4
Sean Weatherspoon / Missouri* 4
Marcus Freeman / Ohio State 4
Martez Wilson / Illinois** 3+
Gerald McRath / Southern Mississippi* 3+
Duke Robinson / Oklahoma 5

Herman Johnson / LSU 5
Tyronne Green / Auburn 4
Vontae Davis / Illinois* 5

Malcolm Jenkins / Ohio State 5
Alphonso Smith / Wake Forest 4
Jairus Byrd / Oregon* 4
Brandon Ghee / Wake Forest* 4
D.J. Moore / Vanderbilt* 3+
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
COURTESY OF ALABAMA
Vontae Davis
CORNERBACKS
SAFETIES
Andre Smith / Alabama* 5

Eugene Monroe / Virginia 5
Michael Oher / Mississippi 5
Phil Loadholt / Oklahoma 4
Jason Smith / Baylor 4
John Jerry / Mississippi* 4
Russell Okung / Oklahoma State* 4
Selvish Capers / West Virginia* 3+
Taylor Mays / USC* 5

Chad Jones / LSU** 5
William Moore / Missouri 5
Patrick Chung / Oregon 4
Rashad Johnson / Alabama 4
Deunta Williams / North Carolina** 4
Courtney Greene / Rutgers 3+
Michael Hamlin / Clemson 3+
OFFENSIVE GUARDS
Andre Smith
James Laurinaitis
DEFENSIVE ENDS
COURTESY OF ILLINOIS
RUNNING BACKS
Chris Wells / Ohio State* 5+
DeMarco Murray / Oklahoma** 4 X
C.J. Spiller / Clemson* 4
Knowshon Moreno / Georgia** 4 X
James Davis / Clemson 3+
Javon Ringer / Michigan State 3+
Chris Wells
SPORTPICS
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Sam Bradford / Oklahoma** 5+

Tim Tebow / Florida* 5+
Dan LeFevour / Central Michigan* 4
Jake Locker / Washington** 4
Matthew Stafford / Georgia* 4
Cullen Harper / Clemson 3+
Tom Brandstater / Fresno State 3+
SPECIALISTS
P Thomas Morstead / SMU 5
PK Ryan Succop / South Carolina 5
PR Jeremy Maclin / Missouri** 5

KR Marcus Thigpen / Indiana 5
COURTESY OF USC
SPORTPICS
QUARTERBACKS
Taylor Mays
FANTASYFOOTBALL
THIRD OF THREE PRESEASON FANTASY FOOTBALL SECTIONS
SPECIAL
HARRY SCULL JR. (TOMLINSON) / MATT QUINNAN (OLSEN)
FANTASY BUZZ
EXPERTS ROUNDTABLE:
L.T. STILL
NO. 1
Five fantasy football experts sound off
on the hottest topics for the 08 season
INSIDE:
GREG OLSEN
The hottest news and rumors
related to fantasy football
AUCTION LEAGUE PRICELIST
We assign values to 195 players and 20 defenses
IDENTIFYING DEPTH
Find out where the drop-offs are at each position
FANTASY DOCTOR Q&A
Our resident expert answers readers questions

PLUS:
PFW
DRAFT BOARD
SEE PAGE 23
MOCK DRAFT
A 12-team snake draft with pick-by-pick commentary
ASK THE EXPERTS
Who will be your biggest reach on draft day?
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
14
FA N TA S Y FOOTBALL
AUGUST 24, 2008
The Buzz
THE
FANTASY
BUZZ
BUZZ
PFW TAKES A LOOK AT FANTASY NEWS AND NOTES

FROM AROUND THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
MATT SOHN
ERIC EDHOLM
MIKE WILKENING
DAN PARR
MICHAEL BLUNDA
raft day in your fantasy

league is fast approaching. Training camps have
been completed, and the
preseason is in full
bloom. The PFW staff has
been hard at work collecting
the hottest fantasy-related
rumors and rumblings from
around the league with a
little help from our friend
Buzz, the fantasy bee.
A F C l
E A S T
Although Marshawn Lynch is

the only premier fantasy player the
Bills boast, the steady play this
preseason of a Jason Peters-less
offensive line bodes well for fantasy commodities such as Trent
Edwards, Lee Evans and James
Hardy. Its fair to assume that once
Peters ends his holdout, this line
consistently should give Edwards
enough time to operate and should
open up the running lanes for
Lynch. All of those good vibes
emanating from Miami when the
team signed WR Ernest Wilford?
Gone. Wilford was disastrous in
camp and slowly is working his
way down the depth chart. He has
to show lots of improvement, especially catching the ball, if hes to
regain a starting job. Patriots TE
Ben Watson has failed to translate
his enormous physical gifts into
production since being drafted in
the first round in 2004, and theres
a suspicion that hell never develop
into the weapon they thought they
had. Although very bright he
owns the highest Wonderlic score
on the team his poor football
instincts have made the Pats leery
of lining him up in the slot and
flexed out wide. Watson represents
a stark contrast to third-year TE
David Thomas, whose average
athleticism is overcome by his
impressive gridiron acumen. While
Watson remains No. 1 on the depth
chart, it wouldnt be shocking to
see Thomas wind up with better
numbers. Although hes furious
with management for cutting his

close friend Chad Pennington,
Jets WR Laveranues Coles
stands to benefit from the arrival of
Brett Favre more than fellow WR
Jerricho Cotchery. Expect the
Jets to deploy Coles, one of the
faster receivers in the league, on
more deep routes than a season
ago, whereas Cotcherys role as a
dependable possession receiver
should remain relatively static.
A F C l
N O R T H
Bengals TE Ben Utechts strong

training camp has carried into the
preseason, as he is looking more
and more like hell be Cincinnatis
de facto No. 3 target in the passing
game. Dont get too excited
about the prospect of the Bengals
re-signing WR Chris Henry. Even if
the Bengals were to change course
and bring him back, he cant play
until Cincinnatis fifth game because
of an NFL-imposed suspension. Its
unlikely many fantasy owners will
want to tie up a roster spot for that
long. There is no clear-cut leader
for the Browns No. 3 WR job as of
this writing, but Joshua Cribbs
looms as the most interesting
name, given his quickness and
strength. Hell also take a direct
snap now and then, too. If you get
points when a wide receiver or running back returns a kickoff or punt
for a TD, Cribbs should get a small
boost on your draft board. His value
probably is greatest in deep TDonly leagues which award points to
players no matter how they score.
Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall has done nothing to dissuade
anyone who might consider him an
intriguing No. 4 or No. 5 back, the
way we hear it. He has really played
well of late. Heres a sleeper for
those in big, TD-only leagues where
a lot of running backs will come off
the board: Ravens FB-RB LeRon
McClain. Ray Rices stock has
received a boost with starter Willis
McGahee on the mend after knee
surgery, but McClains name is one
to file away. Hes bigger than Rice,
and if he continues to make strides
at running back, he possibly could
TOM BERG
By DAN ARKUSH
get some looks near the goal line.

Again, McClain will go undrafted in
the vast majority of leagues, but
hes worth keeping tabs on, especially if McGahee were to miss any
time in the regular season.
A F C l
S O U T H
Texans RB Ahman Greens

groin injury is not regarded as serious, but its alarming nonetheless
to fantasy owners who are familiar
with Greens injury history. Green
likely is to be drafted as a No. 3 or
No. 4 back in most formats, and
with good reason his ability to
hold up for 16 games is in question. If interested in taking Green,
you might also want to take exTitans RB Chris Brown in the late
rounds as insurance. Titans QB
Vince Young came into camp with
more muscle mass than he did last
season, the way we hear it, and he
also has been a more decisive runner in his third season than he was
in the past. Those drafting Young
are doing it for the rushing yards
and touchdowns, and Young might
be able to improve upon the 395
yards and three TDs on the ground
looking great.
Favre factor: Laveranues Coles

should benefit from a stronger-armed QB
that he put up last season.

Although hes unquestionably just
the Jaguars third most valuable
back, FB Greg Jones might represent an intriguing sleeper pick.
Jones recently revealed that hes
only now 100 percent healed from
the torn ACL he suffered in 2006,
meaning that he earned his 07 Pro
Bowl alternate berth with mild, but
season-long knee pain. If Fred
Taylor or Maurice Jones-Drew
gets injured, the NFLs highest-paid
fullbacks value skyrockets. For
those wondering whether they can
trust that Marvin Harrisons over
the knee problem that plagued him
throughout 2007, consider this:
Tony Dungy is among the leagues
most conservative head coaches
when it comes to allowing injured
star players to practice, opting to
keep them rested until theres zero
doubt theyre ready for action. Harrison has been practicing full
speed throughout camp, and our
spies in Terre Haute tell us hes
A F C l
W E S T
Sources say Broncos QB Jay

Cutler is having a much better
camp than he did last year. He
looks strong, has a lot of zip on his
passes and isnt making many mistakes. Word is he has grown more
comfortable in his role and typically,
the light goes on for quarterbacks
in their third year under head coach
Mike Shanahan, as it did for John
Elway, Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, and now, perhaps Cutler. The
only concern is that a weak receiving corps could hold him back, statistically. We hear the Raiders
have been holding RB Justin Fargas back in practice, but not
because hes hurt or being phased
out. Sources say Fargas is as close
to being game ready as anyone,
and Oaklands coaching staff wants
to give youngsters Darren McFadden and Michael Bush as many
reps as possible. McFadden has
garnered much of the attention in
camp, but dont forget about Fargas. He could be a very productive
late-round pickup in drafts. The
health of Chargers TE Antonio
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
Gates has been a hot topic since

San Diego opened training camp,
but his status remains somewhat of
a mystery. Recovering from offseason toe surgery, Gates hasnt yet
practiced with the team but did
begin running routes and catching
passes in mid-August. Although
hes still experiencing some pain in
the toe, the tight end says he feels
confident that hell be ready for the
season opener. He obviously doesnt want to risk reinjuring the toe by
returning too soon, but its looking
more and more likely that hell be
on the field come Week One.
Although it was just an exhibition
game, Chiefs QB Brodie Croyles
performance in a win at Chicago
should be encouraging to fantasy
owners. The starter led the team on
a 16-play, 81-yard drive that resulted in a TD, and he finished the
game 6-of-10 passing for
82 yards. Croyles second preseason outing
didnt go quite as well,
but the QB still directed two scoring drives
and seems to have
taken a step forward
since we saw him last
year. Owners of RB Larry
Johnson, WR Dwayne Bowe
and TE Tony Gonzalez can rest a
bit easier knowing Croyle is at least
capable of moving the offense.
N F C l
E A S T
Those who are interested in

drafting Cowboys RB Felix Jones
or who already have him probably
are aware of his shifty running and
flexibility. So far in training camp
and the preseason, he has shown
a second gear and an ability to
catch the ball very effectively. Marion Barber remains the best passblocking back on the team by a
wide margin, but Jones appears to
be improving in that area, which
should give the coaches more confidence in putting him out there in
passing situations. And there will
be plenty of times when both Barber and Jones are on the field at
the same time. The Redskins
rookie receivers, Devin Thomas
and Malcolm Kelly, have done little to date, mostly because of
injuries. But the coaches remain
high on both, perhaps Kelly a tad
bit more immediately because of
his red-zone skill. The coaches
assume that Kelly will bounce back
from his minor knee surgery, just as
Thomas appears to have done following a nagging hamstring injury.
It might be best to stay patient with
these guys, as Santana Moss and
Antwaan Randle El remain the top
two wideouts. The Giants have a
very intriguing RB situation with
five, perhaps six running backs on
the roster who could make NFL
teams. The problem is that not all
of them might be in New York.
Danny Ware and, to a slightly lesser extent, Kay-Jay Harris have
shown good ability in camp but are
buried on the depth chart behind
Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Derrick Ward and Reuben
Droughns. The Giants could consider trading one of these players
most likely Droughns to a
N O R T H
While it wasnt considered overly

serious, the injured hamstring that
kept Packers RB Ryan Grant on
the sideline in the teams first two
preseason games is a fantasy red
flag worth noting. The injury was
the last thing Mike McCarthy
wanted, considering that
Grant didnt do any onfield work in the offseason while holding out
for a new contract and
needs to make up for
lost time with as many
practice reps as possible, according to the
Packers head coach. WR
Greg Jennings also sat out the
first two preseason contests with a
knee injury, but team insiders tell
us its nothing to worry about.
Word is the Bears are planning on
lining up with two tight ends a little
more than a third of the time they
have the ball this season (up from
25 percent last season), which
could result in more fantasy opportunities for both Greg Olsen and
Desmond Clark. We hear a top
priority is to increase the snaps for
Olsen, the teams first-round pick a
year ago whose natural big-play
ability was underutilized in the eyes
of many. But dont underestimate
Clark, who remains ahead of Olsen
on the depth chart and got just as
many passes thrown his way in
camp, according to daily team
observers. Vikings TE Visanthe
Shiancoe has had a pretty strong
camp but has leveled off a bit and
still is suffering from some drops
and fumbles. Hes not a candidate
to be drafted in a lot of leagues,
but he could end up becoming a
waiver-wire option. The Vikings
want to use the tight end more and
appear to be willing to give Shiancoe chances despite a miserable
debut season in Minnesota in
2007. Lions QB Jon Kitna has
looked very good at executing the
new wrinkles of the passing game,
such as more rollouts and movement around the pocket. The
coaches know he cant stand to
take another seasons worth of
beatings, and despite a solid commitment to run the football and
achieve better balance, the Lions
will throw the football downfield this
season. Their two best players by a
wide margin remain WRs Roy
Williams and Calvin Johnson,
and backups Mike Furrey and
Shaun McDonald led the team in
receptions the past two seasons.
N F C l
15
The Buzz
RB-needy club as the season gets

closer. The Eagles have worked
with WR Hank Baskett on his
aggressiveness on jump balls,
something the former high-jumper
has shown a knack for after previously being too passive. Baskett
has worked a lot in the slot, and he
could turn into a red-zone factor
this season with teams likely to key
in on RB Brian Westbrook, TE L.J.
Smith and the other wide receivers
near the goal line.
N F C l
toward DeAngelo Williams in the

backfield battle for carries between
Williams and rookie Jonathan
Stewart. Williams has looked
stronger and more focused during
practice while Stewart has been
slowed by a sore big toe that
resulted from surgery he had on it
back in March. Its still likely that
Stewart will handle the bulk of the
carries this season, but Williams
looks like hes determined to make
the difference in workloads fairly
minimal. There are no longer
doubts about Jeff Garcias future
with the Bucs now that Brett Favre
is settled with the Jets, but there
are some questions about Garcias
durability and Tampa Bays offense.
The 38-year-old has been bothered
by a calf injury, which kept him out
of nine consecutive days of practice and the first two preseason
games. Its not considered a serious injury, and Garcia should be
ready for Week One. He might be
disappointed with what he sees
when he does appear in a game
theres an open competition for a
S O U T H
Word out of Panthers camp is

that the momentum has shifted
grabbing 37 catches for 437 yards,

but he missed a week of camp with
a bruised tailbone, and coaches
sensed he might have been dogging it when he didnt return until it
was time to determine the roster
breakdown for the opening preseason game. Robinson had the look
of a fantasy supersleeper heading
into camp, but for now it appears
White is the only Falcons receiver
worth considering.
spot behind No. 1 receiver Joey

Galloway, but no one has stepped
up. Saints RB Deuce McAllister
has been picking up steam at practice, and head coach Sean Payton
was confident enough in his
progress to play him in the second
preseason game against the Texans. He rushed four times for 16
yards and had two catches for 10
yards, but fantasy owners shouldnt
let these encouraging signs distract
them from the very serious injury
concerns that accompany McAllister. Hes coming off microfracture
surgery on his knee and has suffered two torn ACLs in the past
three seasons. At this point, McAllister should be considered no
higher than a No. 4 fantasy running
back. The Falcons depth chart
at wide receiver is starting to look
muddled. Roddy White is the
unquestioned No. 1, but the team
is down on the presumed No. 2,
Laurent Robinson, and he has
been passed up by Michael Jenkins, sources say. Robinson had a
strong rookie campaign in 2007,
N F C l
SPORTPICS
Complete package: Larry Fitzgeralds hard work on improving his route running
should pay off with more catches and yards in 2008
W E S T
With Steven Jacksons contract

holdout reaching 23 days at press
time, the consensus in fantasy circles is that too much valuable practice time has gone by the wayside
for the Rams offensive workhorse
to be counted on as a full-fledged
fantasy force in the first couple
games. Said one team insider,
Theres no way in the world hell
be able to carry the ball 30 times in
Week One, and, at this point, it
could very well be a month into the
season before hes capable of handling his normal workload. The
very real possibility that Jackson
might try too hard to make up for
lost time and suffer a debilitating
injury is another factor worth taking
into account. With Seahawks
WRs Bobby Engram and Deion
Branch both widely expected to be
out of the Opening Day picture, the
best guess is that the teams Week
One starting corps will consist of
Nate Burleson at split end, Courtney Taylor at flanker and Ben
Obomanu in the slot. Opinions differ on exactly when Branch will
return to the starting lineup, but
most team observers agree that
Engram isnt likely to be back in
action until after the teams bye in
Week Four. The positive buzz
just keeps on growing in the case
of Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald,
who, according to daily team
observers, never has worked harder in an effort to refine his route
running and become an even more
complete receiver. We hear
Fitzgerald has been making eyepopping catches on an almostdaily basis. Cardinals offensive
coordinator Todd Haley told one
team insider that if Fitzgerald were
just an average run-after-catch
guy he could have gained an extra
300 yards receiving and scored at
least three more touchdowns last
season. Not that it matters
much from a fantasy standpoint,
but it appears that J.T. OSullivan
has the inside track over former
first-round pick Alex Smith and
Shaun Hill for the Niners starting
QB job. Daily team observers
believe that, unless Smith catches
fire in the very near future, OSullivan is most likely to start the season under center due to his quick
release and comfort zone with
Mike Martzs revamped system.
But with the continued lack of a
true deep receiving threat in the
Niners offense, San Francisco
looks like a fantasy wasteland if
there ever were one. Its also worth
noting that OSullivans knack for
making really ugly mistakes could
be a liability in leagues that take
points away from QBs who make
turnovers.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
16
AUGUST 24, 2008
Mock draft
Pro Football Weekly editors conducted a mock draft on Aug. 11 based on the following scoring system: six points for TD runs and catches, four points for TD passes and various yardage bonuses.
R
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D
1
2
3
4
5
6
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8
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TEAM ONE
TEAM TWO
TEAM THREE
TEAM FOUR
TEAM FIVE
TEAM SIX
Dan Arkush
Mike Holbrook
Keith Schleiden
Eric Edholm
Mike Wilkening
Matt Feminis
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SENIOR EDITOR
SENIOR EDITOR
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
DRAFT STRATEGY: Blessed

with the top pick, I grabbed
L.T. and just kept running, ultimately selecting three backs
with my first five picks. In a perfect world,
in Round Two I would have opted for Larry
Fitzgerald, who I believe will be the best
fantasy receiver in 2008 bar none.
DRAFT STRATEGY: I focused

on filling out my starting RB
and WR slots with my first
four picks and didnt address
the QB position until the ninth and 10th
rounds, where I got two starters with
upside. I grabbed three rookie RBs with the
hope that at least one breaks out.
DRAFT STRATEGY: I like to

build a starting lineup with
my top six picks. I followed
that plan up until the sixth
round, when I veered and added my first
piece of depth because the top tight ends
were gone. I rounded out the starting lineup
a round later with the addition of my TE.
DRAFT STRATEGY: Typically, I

stock up early at wideout and
running back and grab a
middle-tier QB and tight end. I
veered slightly, going for TE Jason Witten
and waiting a bit to grab my second receiver, Dwayne Bowe. As usual, I waited until
the final rounds to get my PK and defense.
DRAFT STRATEGY: I wanted

to get one blue-chipper at
running back, wide receiver
and quarterback, and I succeeded although Ill have to wait a few
weeks for my projected No. 1 receiver to
suit up. And I drafted four starting RBs
not a bad haul in a 12-team league.
DRAFT STRATEGY: Prevailing

tenet of any draft should be
value. I selected accordingly,
while realizing the likelihood a
roster will undergo a significant transformation over the course of the season, despite
predraft notions. The durable, superproductive QB Tom Brady is my anchor.
RB LaDAINIAN TOMLINSON RB ADRIAN PETERSON
RB BRIAN WESTBROOK
RB JOSEPH ADDAI
RB LAURENCE MARONEY WR REGGIE WAYNE
RB JAMAL LEWIS
WR BRAYLON EDWARDS RB RYAN GRANT

Many fine athletes not including Chris
Hanson, the wood chopper have come
back from bizarre, off-field injuries.
Not a No. 1 back, but a fine second

option. Thought he would be off the board
by now.
WR ANDRE JOHNSON
CHARGERS
PICK #1
Selecting anybody else but the leagues

best all-aound back would have been fantasy heresy of the highest order.
PATRIOTS
PICK #24
VIKINGS
PICK #2
I didnt even think about taking Brian

Westbrook here. I think A.P. will have a
huge year for an emerging team.
COLTS
PICK #23
EAGLES
PICK #3
Ill be hoping this smart player doesnt

take a dive short of the goal line like he
did against the Cowboys last season.
BROWNS
PICK #22
Tossup between Addai and Steven

Jackson, but I felt safer going with the
guy who isnt holding out.
BROWNS
PICK #21
RB STEVEN JACKSON
RAMS
PICK #5
As long as hes staying in shape, and as

long as he reports for Week One, this pick
will hold up just fine.
PACKERS
PICK #20
QB TOM BRADY
PATRIOTS
PICK #6
Couldnt pass up the highest-rated QB

available. Brady put up video-game numbers last year and figures to do so again.
TEXANS
PICK #19
If he can pick up where he left off last

season, I will look like a genius. He needs
to stay healthy, though.
Wayne proved last season hes a top-flight

No. 1 wideout and should put up big
numbers once again.
WR CHAD JOHNSON
RB JONATHAN STEWART WR WES WELKER

John Fox wants to pound the ball on the
ground and Stewart is built to do just that.
Im expecting big things from the rookie.
I reached here. I could have had Welker a

round, maybe two, later. But he should
continue to put up quality numbers.
RB WILLIS M GAHEE
QB DREW BREES
RB REGGIE BUSH
WR GREG JENNINGS
WR TORRY HOLT
QB DEREK ANDERSON
TE JASON WITTEN
WR SANTONIO HOLMES
RB CHRIS JOHNSON
RB MATT FORT
WR JERRICHO COTCHERY WR HINES WARD

Has gotten better and better each year
and now with Favre aboard, should have a
Pro Bowl type of season.
Despite declining numbers in recent

years, he still is a solid No. 2 pass catcher. Big Ben trusts him.
RB RUDI JOHNSON
WR BRANDON MARSHALL
TE KELLEN WINSLOW
WR RODDY WHITE
TE JEREMY SHOCKEY
RB FRED TAYLOR
QB DONOVAN M NABB
RB EDGERRIN JAMES
RB DeANGELO WILLIAMS
QB JAY CUTLER
RB RAY RICE
TE DALLAS CLARK
WR DWAYNE BOWE
RB LenDALE WHITE
WR SANTANA MOSS
WR ANTHONY GONZALEZ WR NATE BURLESON

Legitimate supersleeper in the eyes of
many completes a first-class fantasy WR
corps if there ever was one.
With Hackett gone and Engram and

Branch hobbled, Burleson has become
Seahawks No. 1 wideout.
WR BERNARD BERRIAN
WR KEVIN CURTIS
WR DONALD DRIVER
QB ELI MANNING
TE OWEN DANIELS
QB MATT LEINART
RB JERIOUS NORWOOD
WR VINCENT JACKSON
WR PATRICK CRAYTON
RB JUSTIN FARGAS
DEF JACKSONVILLE
QB VINCE YOUNG
RB AHMAD BRADSHAW RB LEON WASHINGTON

Showed promise late last season. Hes
behind Brandon Jacobs but should see
his role increase.
I think he could be good for eight combined touchdowns as a runner, receiver

and returner.
TE GREG OLSEN
DEF CHICAGO
PK JOSH BROWN
RB STEVE SLATON
PK NICK FOLK
WR BOBBY ENGRAM
QB DAVID GARRARD
WR REGGIE BROWN
QB JON KITNA
DEF SEATTLE
DEF NEW YORK
QB JASON CAMPBELL
RB BRIAN LEONARD
TE L.J. SMITH
WR BRYANT JOHNSON
RB DARREN SPROLES
RB JACOB HESTER
RB KEVIN JONES
WR SIDNEY RICE
WR KEVIN WALTER
TE RANDY McMICHAEL
TE KEVIN BOSS
WR ISAAC BRUCE
TE ZACH MILLER
DEF NEW ENGLAND
RB DeSHAUN FOSTER
RB BRANDON JACKSON
PK NATE KAEDING
WR JAVON WALKER
PK SHAYNE GRAHAM
QB JaMARCUS RUSSELL PK MASON CROSBY

Has jaw-dropping natural ability. When
possible, I draft three quarterbacks; its a
strategy that has worked for me.
Doesnt kick in a dome or warm-weather

stadium, but has a big-time leg and
claimed the scoring title last season.
RB TATUM BELL
RB DERRICK WARD
QB JEFF GARCIA
DEF PHILADELPHIA
PK RYAN LONGWELL
RB JAMAL CHARLES
BENGALS
PICK #25
After suddenly getting on the same page

as Marvin Lewis, I look for a return to top
form, provided his ankle holds up.
PACKERS
PICK #48
Jennings Jimmy Durante-sized nose for

the endzone gives me a solid 1-2 punch at
WR except for Week Eight.
BEARS
PICK #49
Daily Bears observers I talk to regularly

really believe the teams No. 2 pick will be
a quality No. 1 back from the get-go.
FALCONS
PICK #72
The numbers dont lie. In his third season,

this under-the-radar Falcon quietly
became a very productive pass catcher.
BRONCOS
PICK #73
Getting the leagues strongest arm in

Round Seven seems like a steal. But supporting cast is admittedly far from stellar.
COLTS
TEXANS
PICK #96
PICK #97
Daniels is another relatively low-profile

fantasy force capable of crunching some
very decent fantasy numbers.
JAGUARS
PICK #120
I suspect there will be more than a few

productive IDPs under aggressive new
coordinator Gregg Williams.
RAMS
PICK #121
For my money, hes the best fantasy PK

available with a real cannon for a leg. He
should love the Edward Jones Dome.
LIONS
PICK #144
I could do a lot worse than Kitna as my

backup QB. Calvin Johnson will become a
much more inviting target in 08.
49ERS
PICK #145
No longer stuck behind the FitzgeraldBoldin duo in the desert, he has a chance
to really blossom in new surroundings.
RAMS
PICK #168
Figures to be a key weapon in new coordinator Al Saunders very TE-friendly

offense. A major steal in Round 14.
PACKERS
PICK #169
By all accounts, he really has made considerable progress this offseason and
could push Ryan Grant for playing time.
LIONS
PICK #192
Certainly worth a flier with the last pick in

the draft.
PANTHERS
RAMS
PICK #26
PICK #47
His knee problems led him to drop to the

fourth round. Im definitely concerned, but
hes too solid to pass up at this spot.
JETS
SAINTS
PICK #50
PICK #71
The change of scenery, reuniting with

Sean Payton and an explosive offense
should boost Shockeys numbers.
RAVENS
PICK #74
Has a chance to impress the new coaching staff and cut into Willis McGahees
workload. Highly productive in college.
SEAHAWKS
PICK #95
CARDINALS
PICK #98
Banking on things finally clicking for him

in Year Three. Great receiving weapons
should lift his performance.
TITANS
PICK #119
I look for him to respond well to Mike

Heimerdingers tutelage and see him
passing and running equally as well.
TEXANS
PICK #122
Looks to be a great fit in Texans offense

and is the kind of runner who can take it
to the house each time he carries the ball.
SEAHAWKS
PICK #143
Love the pass rush, the LB corps and the

ballhawking secondary. However, can they
stop the run?
CHARGERS
PICK #146
Quick, elusive and a threat to go the distance when he gets the ball as L.T.s top
backup.
GIANTS
PICK #167
Showed that he can be a trusted middleof-the-field option for Eli after Jeremy
Shockey went down late last season.
CHARGERS
PICK #170
I expect the Chargers to score a bunch of

points this season and Kaeding should be
a big beneficiary.
GIANTS
PICK #191
A strong runner who needs to show he

can stay healthy in order to fulfill his vast
potential.
Staged a big comeback in 2007. No reason to believe that he will slow down in
what could be an explosive offense.
COLTS PICK #4
PATRIOTS
BROWNS
PICK #27
PICK #46
Two Browns in my top five? That never

would have happened a year ago. Another
29-TD season is not unrealistic.
STEELERS
JAGUARS
PICK #51
PICK #70
Liked him more than the tight ends still

on the board. Could go for more than
1,000 yards despite MJDs presence.
COLTS
PICK #75
A player Ive always liked. With Marvin

Harrison on shaky ground, Clark will continue to be key in passing attack.
VIKINGS
PICK #94
Home run-threat receiver with speed to

burn and a very questionable quarterback. Boom-or-bust potential.
FALCONS
PICK #99
If Michael Turner gets hurt, Norwood

could become valuable. Otherwise, hes a
change-of-pace guy.
GIANTS
PICK #118
COWBOYS
PICK #123
Some say wait until the last round for a

kicker. I say why not get the No. 2-rated
PK in Round 11?
GIANTS
PICK #142
High for a defense, but with them already

coming off the board, I wanted one that
has elite potential.
CHARGERS
PICK #147
Another example of taking a guy a couple

of rounds too soon, but this supersleeper
pick could contribute if things fall right.
49ERS
PICK #166
Reunited with Mike Martz, Bruce might

just have a little left in his tank. Risking a
14th-round pick on him was a no-brainer.
RAIDERS
PICK #171
Boom-or-bust all the way. Ultra-talented

but oh so troubled, Walker could take off
if his mental state is OK.
BUCCANEERS
PICK #190
Had planned to add Kurt Warner as my

backup in Round 14, but he was taken
eight picks before me in that round.
RAVENS PICK #28
News is that hell be ready to go for the

start of the season, although I worry
about him going down at some point.
COWBOYS PICK #45
I really think he might be on the verge of

one of the finest statstical seasons ever
by a tight end.
BENGALS PICK #52
Something tells me he could have a more

effective season with fewer attempts and
with the passing game humming again.
EAGLES PICK #69
All signs point to McNabb being fantastic

when hes on the field. But you have to
count on at least one missed game.
CHIEFS
PICK #76
My gut says the Chiefs could take a while

to get warmed up in the passing game,
but Bowe should improve in Year Two.
EAGLES PICK #93
He might not be a 1,000-yard guy again

this season, but hes pretty darned good
for a fourth fantasy wideout.
CHARGERS PICK #100
My upside pick. He averaged 100 yards in

three playoff games and had two touchdowns, hopefully carrying that over to 08.
JETS PICK #117
SEAHAWKS PICK #124
Thought I had a great No. 5 guy, but I cut

Engram following his shoulder injury and
picked up Patriots WR Jabar Gaffney.
REDSKINS PICK #141
The returns for Campbell have been terrific, running a system similar to the Gulf
Coast offense as a senior at Auburn.
BEARS PICK #148
An injury risk, Jones figures to get

chances to run the ball, but perhaps not
until later down the line.
RAIDERS PICK #165
I believe he could be a 60-catch guy and a

great safety net for a young QB such as
JaMarcus Russell.
BENGALS PICK #172
The fireworks could be back in full force

for this talented offense. Hes a pros pro
and a fantasy stalwart.
EAGLES PICK #189
Lack of turnovers forced was a major

issue last season, but the guess here is
that this swarming unit will bounce back.
SAINTS
PICK #29
Thought there was a big drop-off from

Brees to the rest of the QBs left on the
board, so had to strike now.
STEELERS
PICK #44
Suspected he was not going to be on the

board at No. 53. Could make a run at 10
TDs this season.
BRONCOS
PICK #53
Sure, hell miss at least the first two

games of the season. But hes worth the
risk at this spot.
CARDINALS
PICK #68
Has lost a step, but he catches the ball

well, and the Cardinals offense was
potent at times last season.
TITANS
PICK #77
People are writing him off, but hell get

work on the goal line and the bulk of the
second-half carries, Im thinking.
PACKERS
PICK #92
Another player whose bandwagon has

emptied, but Ill take a flier on a reliable
veteran.
COWBOYS
PICK #101
Put up nice numbers when given a chance

to start last season. A low-risk gamble
this late.
BEARS
PICK #116
Whos the Bears No. 1 wide receiver?

Beats me. But I suspect Olsen will lead
the team in TD catches.
JAGUARS
PICK #125
Doesnt make a lot of mistakes, runs well

and has good command of an above-average offense.
RAMS
PICK #140
Took him as insurance in the event Steven

Jackson holds out for an extended
stretch.
VIKINGS
PICK #149
Does a lot of the things Bernard Berrian

does but has more experience in the
offense. A sleeper.
PATRIOTS
PICK #164
Their out-of-division schedule isnt imposing, and their divisional foes lack offensive
punch.
RAIDERS
VIKINGS
PICK #173
PICK #188
Didnt get a lot of of FG chances last season, but he plays his home games
indoors and is accurate on short kicks.
Bit of an injury risk, but theres no doubting his production when healthy, as he
scored in 7-of-9 games played in 07.
SAINTS
PICK #30
Bloom is off the proverbial rose Bush.

So hes not Gale Sayers Part Two, but hell
get lots of touches in a potent offense.
TITANS
PICK #43
Admittedly a reach, but I believe his elite

speed and home run-hitting potential will
translate into fantasy success.
BROWNS
PICK #54
Id like to see a few more TDs, but 171

catches and 32 games played the past
two years is encouraging.
PANTHERS
PICK #67
Gained 5.0 yards per carry in 2007. With

Jonathan Stewart less than 100 percent,
could thrive in a run-first offense.
REDSKINS
PICK #78
Enters a make-or-break fantasy season.

The hope is he takes to Jim Zorns offense
and is pushed by the Skins young WRs.
GIANTS
PICK #91
One win, regardless of the magnitude,

does not make a fantasy stud, but hes a
solid No. 2 option with upside.
RAIDERS
PICK #102
One of the better backup backs available,

Fargas will be motivated to earn as many
carries as possible.
BEARS
PICK #115
Return to health of key performers will

return the Bears to their stingy, turnoverinducing ways of 2006.
EAGLES
PICK #126
Look for a bounce-back season, as he

didnt progress as expected in 07. Fourthyear WR whose numbers could jump.
EAGLES
PICK #139
Bought low after an injury-shortened 07.

The Eagles lack a true No. 1 WR and
Smith should be a prime red-zone target.
TEXANS
PICK #150
Solid insurance if Andre Johnson goes

down, as he proved productive when
given the opportunity.
49ERS
PICK #163
With Frank Gores injury history, a flier on

Foster is reasonable. His receiving skills
fit Mike Martzs offense well.
PACKERS
CHIEFS
PICK #174
PICK #187
One of the fastest players to ever come

out of Texas, Charles has big-play ability
to complement Larry Johnson.
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
17
Mock draft
TEAM SEVEN
TEAM EIGHT
TEAM NINE
TEAM 10
TEAM 11
TEAM 12
Dan Parr
Arthur Arkush
Michael Blunda
Nolan Nawrocki
Seth Gruen
Matt Sohn
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
SENIOR EDITOR
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
DRAFT STRATEGY: I stuck to

the script early on, making
my first four picks based on
who the best player available
was at the position I was seeking to fill.
That strategy left me with a strong core and
two running backs, Gore and Graham, that
can do damage as rushers or receivers.
DRAFT STRATEGY: I got

proven fantasy studs at WR
and RB, especially if Parker
returns to form. Roethlisberger
and Rivers are an impressive 1-2 punch at
QB, and I got the best defense in the league.
Sleepers Felix Jones and Chris Brown could
make this team special.
DRAFT STRATEGY: Drafting in

this slot, my goal was to build
quality depth at running back
and grab a couple stud
receivers early. After that I wanted to take a
proven QB and then find the best values to
fill my remaining spots. Of course, I saved
my last two picks for a kicker and defense.
DRAFT STRATEGY: This roster was built Al Davis style,

with an eye for explosive, bigplay-producing, game-breaking, blue-chip talent. Preferring experience
under center, youth in the backfield and
separation quickness on the flanks, the top
priority was landing big, strong, fast backs.
DRAFT STRATEGY: Im the

rare breed that likes to take a
quarterback in the first round.
Knowing that I would have to
use the next two rounds to lock up my
starting running backs, I drafted big-play
receivers who can put the ball in the endzone multiple times per week.
DRAFT STRATEGY: Count me

among those who believe that
the NFLs aerial evolution
makes quarterbacks and
receivers just as critical to fantasy success
as running backs. Although Im less than
thrilled with my RB stable, reeling in Romo,
T.O. and Houshmandzadeh makes up for it.
RB FRANK GORE
WR RANDY MOSS
RB LARRY JOHNSON
QB PEYTON MANNING
QB TONY ROMO
WR LARRY FITZGERALD
RB MAURICE JONES-DREW RB MARSHAWN LYNCH

Should move ahead of Fred Taylor and
take over the bulk of the carries this season. A serious red-zone threat.
Should build on a very productive rookie

campaign. Hes the go-to guy whenever
the Bills have the ball.
RB MICHAEL TURNER
RB MARION BARBER
WR TERRELL OWENS
QB CARSON PALMER
RB WILLIE PARKER
WR MARQUES COLSTON
WR STEVE SMITH
RB THOMAS JONES
WR T.J. HOUSHMANDZADEH
RB EARNEST GRAHAM
WR ANQUAN BOLDIN
WR PLAXICO BURRESS
RB DARREN McFADDEN
WR ROY WILLIAMS
RB BRANDON JACOBS
TE ANTONIO GATES
QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER RB RONNIE BROWN

Primed for another big season with tons
of weapons. Thought he was a good value
at this point.
People are down on Brown coming off a

torn ACL, but he appears healthy and
ready to pick up where he left off in 07.
TE TONY GONZALEZ
WR LAVERANUES COLES
WR CALVIN JOHNSON
WR MARVIN HARRISON
TE CHRIS COOLEY
QB MATT HASSELBECK
WR LEE EVANS
RB JULIUS JONES
RB CHESTER TAYLOR
RB SELVIN YOUNG
WR CHRIS CHAMBERS
RB KEVIN SMITH
RB RICKY WILLIAMS
TE HEATH MILLER
TE TODD HEAP
WR JOEY GALLOWAY
RB FELIX JONES
WR DONT STALLWORTH QB BRETT FAVRE

Landed in a great situation with the
Browns. Hes one of my top sleepers this
season Ive targeted him in every draft.
In a fantasy league not penalized for interceptions, Favre still could be golden and
produce big-time numbers.
RB RASHARD MENDENHALL RB AHMAN GREEN

He could put up big numbers in an
offense similar to the one he ran in college. A possible Rookie of the Year.
If he can stay healthy, he still has serious

fantasy potential. Of course, that is a very
big if.
RB DEUCE McALLISTER
DEF MINNESOTA
TE VERNON DAVIS
WR DEVIN HESTER
QB MARC BULGER
PK STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI
TE TONY SCHEFFLER
RB LaMONT JORDAN
QB MATT SCHAUB
TE BEN WATSON
DEF DALLAS
DEF SAN DIEGO
QB JAKE DELHOMME
QB PHILIP RIVERS
WR JERRY PORTER
DEF INDIANAPOLIS
WR JUSTIN GAGE
QB AARON RODGERS
DEF BALTIMORE
PK ADAM VINATIERI
RB MAURICE MORRIS
PK ROB BIRONAS
RB WARRICK DUNN
RB LORENZO BOOKER
RB MICHAEL BUSH
TE BEN UTECHT
WR JAMES HARDY
WR DeSEAN JACKSON
WR STEVE SMITH
TE DUSTIN KELLER
PK PHIL DAWSON
WR MARTY BOOKER
TE ALGE CRUMPLER
QB KURT WARNER
TE MARCEDES LEWIS
WR TED GINN JR.
WR EDDIE ROYAL
RB CHRIS BROWN
DEF PITTSBURGH
DEF GREEN BAY
WR LIMAS SWEED
RB MIKE HART
WR RONALD CURRY
WR ROBERT MEACHEM
PK KRIS BROWN
RB PIERRE THOMAS
PK OLINDO MARE
QB BRADY QUINN
49ERS
PICK #7
Gore is a workhorse who should rack up

yards. Hes poised for a big season with
Mike Martz guiding the offense.
CARDINALS
PICK #18
Went with Fitzgerald over some other

intriguing receivers that were available
because hes a more polished product.
BENGALS
PICK #31
Glad to find a top-five QB in the middle of

the third round. One of three QBs coming
off back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons.
BUCCANEERS
PICK #42
If Graham picks up where he left off last

season, hell have first- or second-round
numbers by the end of the year.
CHARGERS
PICK #55
Hard to believe the best tight end in the

game was the third TE taken in the draft.
Gates consistently delivers.
COLTS
PICK #66
Perhaps a little early to take a risk. Could

come back to haunt me if Harrison proves
to be a shadow of his former self.
BRONCOS
PICK #79
Theres always a big upside to taking a

Broncos RB, and Young looks like hell be
the bona fide No. 1 in Denvers backfield.
BUCCANEERS
PICK #90
Getting up there in age, but still quick and

has no competition to be the Bucs No. 1
WR. One of Tampas few big-play threats.
SAINTS
PICK #103
Knee problems are a concern, but wanted

a running back and after Fargas went off
the board, put my faith in Deuce.
BRONCOS
PICK #114
A steal as a No. 2 TE. Scheffler should be

the No. 2 or 3 option in Denvers passing
game and has a good rapport with Cutler.
PANTHERS
PICK #127
Another backup on my roster who is very

capable of delivering No. 1 numbers. Has
more weapons to throw to this season.
RAVENS
PICK #138
Hoping the once-vaunted unit can return

to prominence. If it can stay healthy,
could be stifling once again.
RAIDERS
PICK #151
Its my sleeper pick of the draft. Could

become the top goal-line option for the
Raiders and collect many TDs.
BROWNS
PICK #162
Doesnt have great range, but is extremely

accurate and kicks for one of the most
explosive offenses in the game.
BRONCOS
PICK #175
Hes rocketing up the depth chart in Denver and could be the teams No. 1 while
Brandon Marshall is suspended.
RAIDERS
PICK #186
Will become the No. 1 WR if the injuryprone Javon Walker goes down or decides
he really does want to retire.
PATRIOTS
PICK #8
Cant-miss pick coming off record-shattering 2007 season. Will be motivated

after Super Bowl disappointment.
JAGUARS
PICK #17
STEELERS
PICK #32
Can he return to Pro Bowl status following the leg injury? Rashard Mendenhall
will provide extra motivation.
CARDINALS
PICK #41
Looking for monster season in free-agent

contract year. Proven fantasy commodity
with a chip on his shoulder.
STEELERS
REDSKINS
PICK #56
PICK #65
Should be focus of new head coach Jim

Zorns West Coast offense. Didnt want to
wait any longer to grab a consistent TE.
CHARGERS
PICK #80
Ready to explode in Chargers high-powered offense. Should benefit from a full

offseason with new team.
COWBOYS
PICK #89
Better change-of-pace option with Barber

now that Julius Jones is in Seattle. Im
expecting big things out of this rookie.
VIKINGS
PICK #104
Jared Allen could make Vikes the dominant D in football. Couldnt wait any
longer and risk missing out on them.
PATRIOTS
PICK #113
When was the last time Bill Belichick

missed on a veteran free agent? Jordan is
going to get his opportunities.
CHARGERS
PICK #128
Great value if, in fact, hes all the way back

from knee surgery. Could easily end up as
my starting QB.
COLTS
PICK #137
Plenty of scoring chances in potent Indy

offense. Figures to have a big year after
somewhat of a disappointing 07 season.
BENGALS
PICK #152
Will be a huge red-zone weapon for Carson Palmer. Provides solid depth at the TE
position.
BEARS
PICK #161
Bears will need big numbers from Booker

with paper-thin WR corps. Very consistent
fantasy performer.
TEXANS
PICK #176
Could have a big season if he can stay

healthy and Ahman Green cant. Potential
sleeper pick of my draft.
SAINTS
PICK #185
Boom or bust with my final pick. If he can

stay healthy, huge season could be in the
makings.
RB CLINTON PORTIS
REDSKINS
PICK #9
Coming off a season in which he touched

the ball 372 times. Hell be the workhorse
in the Redskins new West Coast offense.
BILLS
SAINTS
PICK #16
PICK #33
Has had more than 1,000 yards in each of

his first two seasons. Hes the unquestioned No. 1 WR for Drew Brees.
GIANTS
PICK #40
An absolute TD machine at wideout.

Scored 12 times in 07 while playing with
a bad ankle. Should be healthier this year.
DOLPHINS
SEAHAWKS
PICK #57
PICK #64
The annually underrated Hasselbeck is

fresh off his best season. Expect the Seahawks to throw a lot this year.
LIONS
PICK #81
Looks poised to take over the starting job

in Detroit as a rookie. Broke all kinds of
records at Central Florida.
BROWNS
49ERS
PICK #88
PICK #105
Perennial underachiever should get a

boost from Mike Martzs arrival in S.F.
Could finally break out.
TEXANS
PICK #112
Talented leader in an improving offense. If

Andre Johnson stays healthy, Schaub
should post excellent numbers.
JAGUARS
PICK #129
The move to Jacksonville should fit him

well. Likely to emerge as David Garrards
favorite receiver.
SEAHAWKS
PICK #136
Expected to share carries with Julius

Jones. A great value for a running back
wholl be playing a lot this season.
BILLS
PICK #153
Rookie wideout is a giant at 6-foot-6. Terrific size makes him a serious red-zone
threat.
TITANS
PICK #160
Leaving Atlanta should do him wonders.

Will quickly become Vince Youngs top
target. How was he still available here?
STEELERS
PICK #177
Allowed the second fewest points in the

league last season. Blitz-heavy scheme
should lead to plenty of sacks and TOs.
TEXANS
PICK #184
Rose to the next level by drilling all five of

his attempts from 50-plus yards in 07.
Dont draft a kicker before the last round.
CHIEFS
PICK #10
Herm Edwards loves to pound the rock,

and with average QB play, L.J. should get
lots of touches. O-line should be improved.
FALCONS
PICK #15
Still part of one of leagues top 1-2 punches coupled with Jerious Norwood
instead of L.T. Now is in the lead role.
PANTHERS
PICK #34
Wanted Thomas Jones behind re-built

power line but thought he would be available five picks later. Smith can be dominant.
RAIDERS
PICK #39
With workhorse Jonathan Stewart long

gone, had to settle for the more explosive
rookie who could produce more big plays.
CHIEFS PICK #58
Designed to be the No. 1 target in the

Chiefs offense, Gonzalez can be trusted to
continually produce.
BILLS
PICK #63
If James Hardy can draw some attention

in the No. 2 role, defenses might not be
able to keep rolling coverage Evans way.
DOLPHINS
PICK #82
Expecting Ronnie Browns lack of toughness to end his season early again, Ricky
Williams soon could be in the drivers seat.
JETS
BEARS
PICK #87
PICK #106
If the Bears can keep the game simple

enough for No. 23, he could pick up more
than the six TDs hes averaging as a RS.
PATRIOTS
PICK #111
Being surrounded by too many offensive

weapons can limit touches, but Pats will
continue to find ways to use his rare speed.
COLTS PICK #130
Could produce with two ascending corners and a Pro Bowl safety roaming
behind the fastest D-line in football.
TITANS
PICK #135
Outstanding range and accuracy should

be enhanced by the return of offensive
coordinator Mike Heimerdinger.
EAGLES
PICK #154
Brings dual-scoring capabilities as a

returner and could emerge in an offense
lacking a true No. 1 receiver.
CARDINALS
PICK #159
I expect he will see action sooner than

later, and should have plenty of scoring
opportunities with leagues best WR unit.
PACKERS
PICK #178
With a playmaking back seven behind one

of the best young defensive lines in football, Packers should score more on D.
SAINTS
PICK #183
Irrelevant of whether injuries riddle the

Saints backfield again, Thomas is a sleeper
pick who could get hot.
COLTS
PICK #11
Knowing I wanted a quarterback with this

pick, it was an easy choice with Tom
Brady off the board.
COWBOYS
PICK #14
He gets the majority of the red-zone carries and is always amongst league leaders
in rushing touchdowns.
JETS
PICK #35
The addition of OG Alan Faneca should

open holes for a running back who rushed
for 1,119 yards in a down year in 07.
LIONS
PICK #38
A big-play receiver with potential to score

multiple times in a game. He could be the
difference on any given week.
JETS
PICK #59
His speed will complement Brett Favres

style of play. Will have the deep ball
thrown to him weekly.
SEAHAWKS
PICK #62
Hell get more carries with the departure

of Shaun Alexander. Another viable option
to start if I dont want to start his brother.
STEELERS
PICK #83
I wanted a tight end with this pick. With

the elite TEs gone, I looked for a member
of a solid offense.
STEELERS
RAMS
PICK #86
PICK #107
He plays the Bills at home during

Mannings bye week. A wild card, but
a viable backup.
COWBOYS
PICK #110
One of the top defenses should improve

by having Tank Johnson for a full year and
with the addition of Adam Jones.
TITANS
PICK #131
He has good height and should be a redzone target. Hell hopefully evolve as
Vince Young does as a passer.
BUCCANEERS
PICK #134
Cadillac Williams isnt expected to play

until midseason which will give Dunn
plenty of opportunity.
GIANTS
PICK #155
He proved in the playoffs he can be relied

upon. Im comfortable starting him when
my other receivers have bye weeks.
JAGUARS
PICK #158
I needed a backup tight end and could get

lucky with a TD when I start him as he
builds a rapport with David Garrard.
STEELERS
PICK #179
Hes the big receiver that the Steelers

talked about getting in the offseason and
could play a role in the red zone.
SEAHAWKS
PICK #182
I never draft a kicker until the last round.

Mare has been relatively consistent
throughout his career.
COWBOYS
PICK #12
Romo should only get better. Now fully

versed in Jason Garretts offense, hell
light up scoreboards all season.
COWBOYS
PICK #13
The primary beneficiary of Romos wizardry. Even at age 34, theres no more
physically imposing WR in the league.
BENGALS
PICK #36
Fear the pony tail. Now Carson Palmers

favorite target, Housh should have no
problem replicating his 07 production.
GIANTS
PICK #37
Jacobs was a TD machine in 06 and then

churned out the yardage in 07. A melding
of the two in 08? Its possible.
LIONS
PICK #60
Ah, the seductive appeal of potential.

Although yet to produce in the NFL, his
talent is too enticing to pass up.
VIKINGS
PICK #61
Find me another back who has 84- and

95-yard TD runs the past two seasons.
Hes no Adrian Peterson, but hes still fine.
RAVENS
PICK #84
He crushed my fantasy hopes a season

ago, but the Golden Retriever can redeem
himself in 2008.
TEXANS
PICK #85
PATRIOTS
PICK #108
Too early to snag a kicker? Maybe. But if

theres ever one deserving of it, its the
guy reaping the benefits of the Pats O.
CHARGERS
PICK #109
Between Shawne Merriman, Shaun

Phillips and Antonio Cromartie, the Bolts
boast prime-time performers aplenty.
PACKERS
PICK #132
With receivers like Greg Jennings and

Donald Driver, Rodgers adjustment to the
starting gig should be fairly smooth.
EAGLES
PICK #133
The type of speedy scatback that should

thrive in Phillys modified West Coast
offense. A poor mans Brian Westbrook.
JETS
PICK #156
Being on the receiving end of Brett Favres

passes rather than Kellen Clemens does
wonders for the rookies fantasy outlook.
DOLPHINS
PICK #157
Considering kickoff- and punt-return

scores count for players individual totals
in this format, Ginns worth the gamble.
COLTS
PICK #180
The sixth-round rookie has made a heck

of an initial splash in Indy. Theres a reason why hes UMs all-time rushing leader.
BROWNS
PICK #181
If something happens to Derek Anderson,

were looking at a top-seven passer.
Worth a 16th-round flier.
R
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
18
AUGUST 24, 2008
Q&A with the Fantasy Doctor
The Fantasy Doctor is in!

Pro Football Weeklys resident fantasy expert solves readers preseason dilemmas
Q. Our keeper-league draft is still a

ways off, but Ive already been hip deep
in research. Im having trouble figuring
out who to keep between Adrian Peterson and Tom Brady. A nice problem to
have, no doubt, but nonetheless a difficult decision. Whats your take
and why? Thanks.
HIGS
A. Whew, thats a doozy there,
Higs, picking between the best
quarterback in the game today
and arguably the best running
back of the future. The scoring of
your league would definitely
have an effect on the decision,
but assuming its standard scoring, I think Id go with the upside
of A.P. Sure, Brady may be the
better bet for 08, but at age 31,
how many more years can he
keep playing at this level? Maybe
a few more, but its not likely to
go beyond that. Peterson, meanwhile, is
only 23 years old and is already one of the
top backs in the league. He only figures to
improve, and its scary to think what hell
do with more experience and increased
opportunities. If you want a team that will
perform well both now and for years to
come, Id go with A.P.
Sure, he has the toe injury, but he easily

could be back for the Chargers opener.
Brown also looks likely to play in Week
One, but how long will his surgically
repaired knee hold up? Hes a bit too risky
for me to use a keeper pick on, especially
when you have only three of them.

Q. Hi, Fantasy Doctor! I need your

advice. I have the No. 1 pick in a 12-person league, and our league rules give a
higher scoring advantage for QBs,
specifically for every 25 yards you get
one point if total passing yards are from
0-100, two points from 101-200 yards,
three points from 201-300, etc. So if Tom
Brady throws for 300 yards,
that would be 24 points without even adding in any TDs
(which are four points each).
Im thinking conservatively
Brady will throw for 3,5004,000 yards with 30-35 TDs this
year. So my question is this
would you pick Brady over
LaDainian Tomlinson under
these rules (RB and WR are
standard scoring) with the No.
1? Im leaning toward doing
this, am I crazy? What would
you do? Thanks.
Jets Nation
A. Im guessing it cant be easy
for someone from Jets Nation to draft
Brady No. 1 overall, but it very well might
be the wisest move in your case. With this
scoring system, passing yardage becomes
extremely valuable, and nobody threw for
more yards than Brady last season. In fact,
he had eight games of 300 passing yards or
more; in your league, that stat really matters. Given that Brady will throw for around
4,000 yards and probably 35 TDs, I cant
imagine anyone topping him under these
rules. Of course, its tough to pass on L.T.,
but there will be some decent RBs available
in the second and third rounds that you can
target.
Ask the
Fantasy
Doctor
Q. Doc, I need to keep three players

out of: Steven Jackson, Reggie Wayne,
Antonio Gates, Ronnie Brown, Earnest
Graham and Matt Hasselbeck. I definitely think that I am going to keep SJax and Wayne, but after that Im lost. I
know Gates is one of the top TEs, but is
he worth keeping coming off the injury
and with inconsistent play of Philip
Rivers? I picked up Ronnie at the end of
last season in hopes that he can come
back and do what he was doing at the
start of 07, but is he healthy enough,
and how does Ricky Williams play into
his possible stats? And Graham, they
have so many RBs down in Tampa, who
will get the carries? Your help is needed
because I cant make a decision. Thanks!
Tony
A. Well, Tony, first off, Jackson and
Wayne are sure-fire keepers. Theyre each
among the best at their position and should
be in store for great seasons. As for your
remaining choice, Id start by eliminating
Graham and Hasselbeck from consideration. I dont think Graham will match last
seasons stats with the Bucs growing stable
of RBs, and Hasselbeck is down to one
decent receiver heading into Week One. So,
since I dont like to gamble with keeper
picks, Ill recommend retaining Gates.
Q. Doc, I have a headache I need a

some advice about. I pulled the No. 9
pick in BOTH of my leagues this year.
What do you think of going opposite
strategy and taking elite WRs such as
Terrell Owens and Reggie Wayne with
my first two picks if available (non-PPR
league)? It seems there are more question marks at RB than in past years. I
want to do something a little different
considering I might be looking at the
same pool of players in both drafts.
Shawn
A. Some tough luck getting the ninth pick
in both your drafts, Shawn. Whenever
youre picking toward the end of the first
round, its usually a good time to employ
the do the opposite strategy that you suggest. If Tom Brady isnt there at No. 9, then
grabbing guys like T.O., Wayne or Braylon
Edwards could be your best bet. I mean, Im
still a fan of getting my stud backs early, but
I certainly understand your logic and actu-
HARRY SCULL JR.
he Fantasy Doctor, now a daily staple

at ProFootballWeekly.com with loads
of candid advice on all things fantasy
football, was asked to pay another visit
to our print edition. What follows are
questions submitted by PFW readers.
The Fantasy Doctor took time out of his
busy schedule to share some knowledge
with fantasy owners that should help them
get through the long preseason.
Quite a catch: Colts WR Reggie Wayne established himself last season as an elite fantasy performer
ally used it in one of my drafts earlier this

year. If theres a run on RBs in the first
round, grab your receivers and then come
back and get your RBs in the third and
fourth rounds. That should get you a solid,
well-balanced roster.
ond round in most drafts, making him a

great value in your situation. I can see why
youd be tempted to keep Young or Garrard,
but you can always hunt for other sleepers
in the late rounds. Its best to hold on to
your studs.
Q. Doc, I could really use some advice

deciding who to keep this year. I have to
keep two players and I lose the draft
choice the round above where they were
drafted the previous year. Im debating
between Randy Moss for a sixth-round
pick, Jamal Lewis for a seventh-rounder,
Selvin Young for a 15th-rounder or
David Garrard for a 16th-rounder.
Willie Parker and Laurence Maroney
are also options, but I dont think theyre
worth the first- or second-round pick Id
have to give up to keep them. Whats
your professional opinion? Thanks.
Josh
A. Interesting dilemma, Josh. First off, I
agree with you that neither Parker nor
Maroney is worth keeping for that steep of
a price. To me, those guys are third-round
talents at best. I really think that in this case,
your best keeper options are your best guys,
Moss and Lewis. Coming off his 23-TD
season, Moss is a borderline first-rounder,
so getting him for a sixth-round pick is a
no-brainer. Using that same logic, Lewis
had a renaissance 07 campaign and has
proven that hes back to being an impact
fantasy player. Hell probably go in the sec-
Q. Doc, I am in a keeper league and

will be keeping Joseph Addai. I have the
No. 9 pick in a 12-player league. My
question is, would it be wise to draft
Drew Brees, who had 400 fantasy points
last year, over a RB? The NFL landscape
seems to be changing with more and
more teams going with two RBs, so I
thought taking Brees wouldnt be a bad
idea. In Rounds Two and Three, I could
get my WRs like Marques Colston or
Andre Johnson. In my opinion, having
Addai along with Brees, Colston and
Johnson if they fall to me wouldnt
be bad, would it? Whats your opinion?
Thanks for your help!
Gary
A. Well, Gary, with one top-notch RB
already on your roster in Addai and many of
the others likely to be kept, I have no issue
with you taking Brees in the first round.
Why take a second-tier RB when you can
get a top-five QB? Plus, there seem to be
fewer reliable QBs this season than at any
time I can remember. If you have Brees,
youre set at that position, which is a huge
relief. It wouldnt be a bad idea to grab a
RB in the second or third round, as youd
like to have some quality depth at that spot.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
20
AUGUST 24, 2008
Experts roundtable
Talking football
A
PFW called on fantasy writers from around the nation to give their opinions on todays burning issues
re you looking for some good fantasy football talk? Well, youve
stopped at the right place, as PFW
decided to host a roundtable discussion of sorts on several of the hot
topics surrounding fantasy football
heading into the 2008 season. Below are the
contributors and their affiliations. Enjoy!
MICHAEL BLUNDA | Pro Football Weekly

SCOTT ENGEL | RotoExperts.com
PAT FITZMAURICE | ProFootballWeekly.com
MIKE HARMON | FOXSports.com
CHRIS LISS | RotoWire.com
1. Lets start at the top: Whos
your No. 1 overall pick?
2. Which second- or third-tier
player will make the leap to the

top tier of his position?
Blunda: Most people would consider
Lions WR Calvin Johnson a second-tier
receiver after his fairly disappointing rookie season, but that will end this year. Johnsons phenomenal talents wont be underutilized in the Lions new offense, which
will make him a major part of the passing
4. Which position is the
shallowest in terms of quality

fantasy talent?
TOM CROKE
Blunda: Its still LaDainian Tomlinson,

but its getting closer. Ill stick with L.T.
because of his incredible consistency and
the fact that he hasnt slowed down a bit in
recent years. Plus, the guy is the focal point
of a well-balanced offense and is a lock to
touch the ball around 25 times per game.
He might only have a couple more seasons
playing at this level, but you might as well
ride him while you can.
Engel: Tomlinson for sure. The RB position is full of question marks, and Tomlinson provides that nearly complete peace of
mind that usually seems unattainable in
fantasy football. He is annually outstanding
and will be highly motivated to have another great year after how the playoffs ended
for him last season.
Fitzmaurice: Tomlinson. His yardage
and TD totals are always phenomenal; he
has missed one regular-season game in
seven years; his offensive line is terrific;
and the Chargers have shown no inclination
to reduce his workload.
Harmon: Without hesitation, its L.T.
He has been remarkably durable and consistent during his career, topping 1,400
rushing yards in six consecutive seasons
(he rushed for more than 1,200 yards as a
rookie in 2001) and averaging 16.4 rushing
touchdowns per season. He also has caught
51 or more passes in each of his seven NFL
seasons. All the elements are in place for
another monster season.
Liss: Tomlinson, hands down. He has a
fair amount of mileage, but he gained 5.2
yards per carry in the second half of last
season; there was no sign of decline. Hes
one of the few backs who is guaranteed to
get 300 carries, and he stays in at the goalline and on third downs. He also will get a
fair amount of receiving yardage and runs
behind an elite offensive line. No one else
meets all of those conditions.
tion in my QB rankings after the trade. Im

not terribly concerned about the learning
curve of a different offense. Hes going to
wing the ball where he wants to, and with
WRs Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery working downfield, good things will
happen. The offensive line is strong, so
Favre will receive protection, and his arm
still ranks among the strongest in the game
(his early-camp rust notwithstanding).
Expect more of the same with regard to
turnovers, but Favres surrounding cast and
a nice schedule should put him among the
top TD producers once again.
Liss: Hes around 16th. Cotchery is a
very good per-play receiver, and Coles
finally will get a chance to use his speed.
Rookie TE Dustin Keller might even be
useful this year, given his pass-catching
ability. Id expect Favre to throw 20-25 TDs
and around 3,500-3,600 yards.
Straight ahead: Patriots RB Laurence Maroneys improved inside running could mean better numbers
attack. Not yet 23 years old, Johnson is in

store for a major improvement in 08.
Engel: Patriots RB Laurence Maroney.
He gradually improved as an inside runner
last season and stopped dancing and hesitating. Improved interior running combined
with breakaway ability will translate into a
big breakthrough campaign.
Fitzmaurice: I don't think hell be surpassing Randy Moss anytime soon, but
Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez is a good candidate for a quantum leap in statistical productivity. I also think Alge Crumpler will
bounce back with the Titans and re-emerge
as an elite tight end.
Harmon: Jets RB Thomas Jones is the
big winner from the offseason. I was excited about the changes in the offense before
the Jets traded for Brett Favre. Also, Cardinals QB Matt Leinart has the tools to be a
big-time contributor with WR Larry
Fitzgerald and a healthy WR Anquan
Boldin. Lastly, if the offensive line holds up
and the Texans settle on the proper RB rotation, QB Matt Schaub will have weapons to
work downfield. WR Andre Johnson, WR
Kevin Walter (sleeper), TE Owen Daniels
and speedster WR Jacoby Jones certainly
give Schaub options. But can he stay
upright?
Liss: Steelers WR Santonio Holmes was
the best per-play receiver in the NFL last
year with 80 targets or more. He could be

the next Steve Smith. Calvin Johnsons
upside is off the charts, and Crumpler will
get back into the top tier again.
3. How do you see QB Brett Favre
doing as a Jet, and where do you

rank him on your draft board?
Blunda: I think Favre will have a very
nice year. PFW has him ranked as the 17th
QB right now, but it wouldnt surprise me
at all if he finished in the top 10 in terms of
fantasy production. Even though hes 38,
Favre looked as good as ever last season,
and I dont think itll take him long to pick
up the Jets playbook. A 3,800-yard, 25-TD
campaign looks realistic to me.
Engel: He has a solid supporting cast
and will rank seventh overall in my ratings.
Hes 38 so what? The guy has been a
model of durability, and this is basically a
one-year deal. Dont feed me his 2005 and
06 stats when he had to carry the Packers
by himself.
Fitzmaurice: Ill probably rank Favre
16th or 17th among quarterbacks, and I
envision about 3,500 passing yards with a
lower-than-normal TD total and higherthan-normal INT total. The radical change
of scenery will make it tough for him to
remain a top-10 fantasy quarterback.
Harmon: I slid Favre into the 10th posi-
Blunda: The QB position seems dreadfully bereft of talent this season. How many
quarterbacks would you feel safe relying on
from week to week? Probably not more
than 10, if that. Even guys at the back of the
top-10, like Donovan McNabb and Matt
Hasselbeck, have concerns. And are Derek
Anderson and Ben Roethlisberger legitimate top-10 players? Luckily for fantasy
owners, most leagues only start one QB.
Just hope that your starter doesnt get hurt.
Engel: Historically, that has been tight
end, and even though it has improved, it is
still not on par with the Big Three positions (quarterback, running back and wide
receiver). Considering its importance and
the fact you usually start at least two, running backs are going to fall off in tiers very
quickly. If you get one of the top five or six
guys, you should be very happy.
Fitzmaurice: Wide receiver. Perennial
stalwarts such as the Rams Torry Holt, the
Colts Marvin Harrison and the Steelers
Hines Ward are getting old; young studs
Roddy White (Falcons) and Dwayne Bowe
(Chiefs) have QB issues; and Broncos WR
Brandon Marshall and Panthers WR Steve
Smith must serve suspensions. When Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh is a consensus top-10 receiver and Patriots WR Wes
Welker is getting top-10 consideration, you
know its a thin position.
Harmon: Id have to stay at quarterback.
The proliferation of committee situations
and the presence of goal-line vultures have
watered down the RB position, but there
are few sure things at quarterback. Even
Colts QB Peyton Manning enters the season with a bit of concern about the health of
his knee. There are quarterbacks in good
circumstances with signs pointing to big
performances (Redskins QB Jason Campbell and Leinart come to mind), but there
are many veterans with big questions about
their health (Eagles QB Donovan McNabb
or Panthers QB Jake Delhomme, anyone?).
What about Andersons schedule in Cleveland? Or Hasselbecks receivers? Or Roethlisbergers O-line?
Liss: Its running back. Until they
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
change the rules of standard leagues (one
QB; two RBs; two or three WRs; one TE),
it probably always will be that way, given
the abuse running backs take, and especially now that there are so many committees.
That doesnt mean you dont draft a top
WR early instead only that all things
being equal, you should probably lean
toward a running back.
5. Of the veterans who changed
teams this offseason, which one

will benefit most from his new
surroundings?
Blunda: Its between Falcons RB
Michael Turner and Browns WR Dont
Stallworth. Turner obviously will see a
huge jump in production as the lead dog in
Atlanta. He and Jerious Norwood should
make one of the best one-two punches.
Stallworth will benefit from his move to the
Browns, where hell line up with two great
pass catchers in WR Braylon Edwards and
TE Kellen Winslow. While defenses focus
on those two, Stallworth should find himself constantly open deep.
Engel: Turner wont be the most exciting
selection, but he will be a quality No. 2 fantasy running back now that he finally has
the opportunity to start. He might endure
through a few disappointing outings, but
youll be satisfied overall.
Fitzmaurice: Alge Crumpler benefits the
most by far. He goes to a team that has zero
firepower at wide receiver and desperately
needs a weapon for QB Vince Young. Plus,
offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger
typically puts his tight ends to good use.
21
Experts roundtable
Harmon: Im interested in watching RB
Julius Jones in Seattle, away from a situation where he had Marion Barber stealing
TD opportunities (although T.J. Duckett is
still lurking as a vulture possibility at
presstime). Jones will split some carries
with Maurice Morris, but the opportunities
should be there for big efforts as the receiving situation is sorted out. Obviously, Turner jumps to the top of the list in his first season as a starter. The Falcons figure to use
him heavily as they get QB Matt Ryans
feet set. WR Muhsin Muhammad returns to
Carolina following several seasons in
Chicago where, in his words, receivers go
to die. Well, Muhammad has the No. 1 job
for the first two games and will benefit
from all of the attention given to Steve
Smith. Owners in PPR (points per reception) leagues need to take a look at Muhammad. Fellow Panthers WR D.J. Hackett is
on the watch list as well.
Liss: Turner benefits because he will get
250-plus touches. On a per-play basis, he
takes a hit, but overall its obviously a huge
upgrade. 49ers WR Bryant Johnson is now
potentially a No. 1 in a Mike Martz offense,
and I have a feeling whatever quarterback
they pick will exceed expectations. Martz
has done it before with unknowns such as
Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger. Broncos
WR Darrell Jackson is a sleeper as well,
assuming he can stay healthy.
6. Name a deep sleeper to target
at the end of fantasy drafts.

Blunda: You cant go wrong grabbing
Chargers rookie RB Jacob Hester with one
of your last couple picks. The third-rounder

has had an outstanding training camp and
can do a number of things well, so the Bolts
will get him on the field as much as possible this season. Plus, if L.T. goes down,
Hester would pick up a healthy amount of
carries and be the teams goal-line back.
Engel: You can grab Bengals TE Ben
Utecht late and get great value at a position
thats deeper than in the past but still not
filled with a lot of optimum choices. He is
going to be a reliable target for QB Carson
Palmer on many key passing downs.
Fitzmaurice: So many potential choices
here, but with the operative words being at
the end of fantasy drafts, how about Texans rookie RB Steve Slaton? I think hell be
available at the end of most drafts, and hes
an explosive runner with two aging, injuryprone RBs (Ahman Green, Chris Brown)
ahead of him on the depth chart.
Harmon: Jets WRs David Clowney and
Brad Smith. Clowney shone brightly in the
preseason opener, demonstrating breakaway speed. Were well aware of Smiths
athleticism from his past efforts. The winner of the third WR role for Favre has an
opportunity to be a big playmaker. Im not
talking about a ton of catches, but some
long touchdowns could be in the offing. If
either Deuce McAllister or Reggie Bush
falls to injury, Saints RB Pierre Thomas has
the goods to make things happen. Finally,
look at TEs Marcedes Lewis (Jacksonville)
and John Carlson (Seattle). Both players
could play a big role given the injuries in
the receiving corps.
Liss: Saints WR Robert Meachem or the
winner of the 49ers QB battle.
7. What aspect of traditional fan-
tasy leagues would you most

like to change?
Blunda: Make your leagues playoffs
really count by not allowing so many teams
to qualify. A four-team or six-team at the
most playoff allows the best teams to
compete for the championship. Incidentally, that sentiment can double as a recommendation to the BCS.
Engel: Using team defenses. I love individual defender leagues and the team
defense/special teams makes the positions
too generic. I like a fuller representation of
players in the pro game. I would also like to
see offensive line units get drafted, if we
are going to use any group of players. You
lose points for sacks allowed and gain
points for yardage increments.
Fitzmaurice: I hate free-agent pickups.
Every year, players emerge from obscurity
to become significant fantasy contributors;
why should they be awarded arbitrarily to
one fantasy owner? The only remotely fair
way to award free agents is with a freeagent budget and blind bidding. But why
not abolish free-agent pickups and add
more rounds to your draft? Then, everyone
has equal access to the talent pool.
Harmon: I believe Id like to see the
PPR become a standard. It deepens the
player pool and more accurately reflects
players on-field contributions. Not to
diminish the efforts of the red-zone monsters in any way, shape or form, but we
need to acknowledge the efforts of players
outside the 20-yard line.
Liss: Id make sure that the top two
point-scoring teams got into the playoffs no
matter their records.
Ask the Experts
Question: Who will be your biggest reach on draft day?

MIKE HOLBROOK
ERIC EDHOLM
MIKE WILKENING
MANAGING EDITOR
SENIOR EDITOR
SENIOR EDITOR
RAY RICE
JASON WITTEN
MARION BARBER
Rice was on my radar screen well before it was revealed

that Ravens RB Willis McGahee recently had arthroscopic
knee surgery. Word from Baltimore was that McGahee was
struggling to pick up Cam Camerons new offense. Now
that McGahee will be sidelined until later this month, at
best, Rice will get invaluable time to prove to Cameron and
the coaches that he deserves his fair share of carries. I loved
how productive Rice was in college, with more than 2,000
rushing yards last season. He runs strong with a low center
of balance and has a nose for the endzone. Running behind
a talented, young offensive line and considering the team
has major question marks at quarterback, I believe Rice
could post surprisingly solid numbers as a rookie.
It depends on your definition of reach, but odd as it

sounds, I seldom like to be the guy to take the top player at
a position unless I hold the first pick. Examples: Last
year, I took Peyton Manning in Round One, and the year
before I bit early on Terrell Owens. What happened was neither lived up to the hype, just as I suspect Randy Moss wont
be worth a first-round pick this year, despite his insanely
2007 great season. But if theres a guy I think who more than
lives up to his billing and could surpass his tremendous 07
campaign, its Witten, who could be in line for one of the
greatest TE seasons ever. Coming off a 96-catch campaign,
thats bold talk. But with both he and QB Tony Romo coming into their primes together, and with WR Terrell Owens
there to distract defenses, Witten wont be stopped.
Whether a pick is a reach depends on the owner. You

might think that me slotting Barber as a top-10 pick is a
stretch, but I believe taking some of the backs ahead of him
on our board is even more risky. Personally, I think Barbers
one of the safer picks in fantasy football. Hes a hard-running, tackle-breaking back who is going to get plenty of
scoring chances for a top offense. If taking him near the end
of Round One in a 10-team league is considered wrong
well, Ill take my chances and reach for a runner who has
scored double-digit TDs in back-to-back seasons.
MATT SOHN
DAN PARR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
VINCENT JACKSON
JONATHAN STEWART
I like my fantasy wide receivers to be big and physical. I

want them to tower over the corner trying to cover them, to
bulldoze through the press coverage trying to impede them,
to be as imposing a prescence in the red zone as Shaq is in
the key. At 6-5, 241 pounds, Jackson more than meets my
drive for size. In his fourth season, the former small-school
star is primed to explode. He was unstoppable during the
Chargers postseason run, making 18 catches for 300 yards
and a pair of touchdowns in three games. With TE Antonio
Gates (toe) on the mend, QB Philip Rivers has been able to
build his rapport with Jackson even more. The once-raw
diamond in the rough has been polished, and is ready for
statistical gems on Sundays this fall.
Although he is about as unproven as they come, I would

be willing to take Stewart as high as the fourth round in the
draft of a 10- to 12-team league. Sources in Carolina have
been impressed by what theyve seen from the rookie out of
Oregon thus far in camp, and he isnt even at full health yet.
Its a concern that Stewart still is hobbled by a sore big toe
that he had surgery on before the draft, but imagine what
hell be capable of once that goes away. Stewart has a bruising build, and he should get plenty of work in Carolinas
backfield, even if he is sharing carries with DeAngelo
Williams. Hes far from a sure thing, but the upside is too
overwhelming to wait and risk losing Stewart to another
fantasy owner.
MICHAEL BLUNDA
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
RONNIE BROWN
Based on where Brown is in our rankings, Id certainly
reach for him in fantasy drafts. After sputtering a bit in his
first two seasons, Brown finally came alive in 2007 as both
a runner and receiver, leading the league in yards from
scrimmage through the first six weeks. Unfortunately, that
was all we got to see of Brown, who tore an ACL in Week
Seven and was lost for the rest of the season. His recovery
has gone very well, however, and projections for him to
miss major time appear to be way off. In fact, he even was
able to take a few carries in the Dolphins first preseason
game. Now the big concern is if Brown will able to make it
through the year healthy Im betting that he will. He has
the potential to finish as a top-10 back, so Ill gladly draft
him ahead of where hes supposed to go. And if Brown performs like he did in 07, Ricky Williams wont be much of
a factor.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
22
AUGUST 24, 2008
Feature
Divide and conquer

Own your fantasy draft by identifying the amount of quality depth at each position
weekly start, and you could make an argument for Eli Manning to be in that group as
well, but he still wouldnt give me a great
feeling as my No. 1 quarterback.
That said, Manning is a fairly safe option
if you need to play him, and there is another handful of quarterbacks that Id put into
this category as well. Brett Favre would be
the last guy in our rankings that I wouldnt
be afraid to use if he had a great matchup or
if my starter were hurt. It drops off steeply
after that, however.
The final grouping consists of quarterbacks you might consider drafting but
wouldnt want to use as more than a byeweek replacement. Id classify about six or
seven guys as such. JaMarcus Russell is the
lowest-ranked quarterback Id draft in traditional leagues. If you dont have two signalcallers out of the top 24, youre in trouble.
By MICHAEL
BLUNDA
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
ositional rankings are a nice tool to
have when preparing for your draft,
but what good are they if you dont
know what youre looking for? Just
because two players are next to each
other on our draft board (presented on
the following page), it doesnt necessarily
mean that theyre of equal quality. Finding
the drop-off points and dividing up your
rankings into categories will help you to
organize your thoughts better on draft day.
To save you time, weve broken down the
rankings at each position into easy-tounderstand categories or tiers there are
the legitimate No. 1 guys, the players that
deserve weekly starting consideration and
the reserves to target in the mid- to laterounds.
Now, its fine to fill out your fantasy team
with some late-round fliers, but youll want
the majority of your roster to be made up of
the players covered here. That should give
you a sufficient amount of dependable
starters and reserves. Good luck in your
drafts!
RUNNING BACKS
BONA FIDE NO. 1 PLAYERS: 11
TOTAL LEGITIMATE STARTERS: 28
TOTAL PLAYERS WORTH CONSIDERING: 46
Fantasy owners dont have to worry quite as

much about depth at the RB spot, but they still
need to be sure to grab their starters and top
reserves while the getting is good. Because of
the propensity of backs to get injured, being
too shallow at this position can be the deathblow to your fantasy season.
The amount of bona fide No. 1 rushers is
difficult to pinpoint, but I believe there are 11
that fill the bill. You cant go wrong having
anyone from LaDainian Tomlinson to Marion
Barber as your top back, as they all will post
big numbers consistently. I would have
included Willis McGahee in this group, but
his recent knee surgery has me feeling kind of
uneasy about him.
After the top 11, theres a big pack of running backs that should give you little anxiety
as weekly starters. I believe about 17 guys fit
this description, meaning there are roughly 28
backs in total that deserve starting consideration. Everyone up through Ronnie Brown
should do enough to be in your lineup.
The rushers fall off a bit after that, but a
decent amount of them should make for satisfactory flex or bye-week options. The next 18
or so backs might not tear it up every week,
but they should contribute at least a handful of
points to your fantasy score. With many
leagues starting three running backs, youd
ideally like to have four or five of the top 46
guys.
QUARTERBACKS
The QB position is probably the thinnest

one in fantasy football. There simply are
not very many quarterbacks today that can
be relied on for solid production week-in
and week-out. Fortunately for fantasy owners, most leagues only require starting one
QB, but its almost equally important to
have a backup that youre confident in.
When I peruse the rankings, I see only 10
signalcallers that Id be comfortable putting
in my lineup without hesitation. Everyone
from Tom Brady to Matt Hasselbeck is a
WIDE RECEIVERS
JAMES D. SMITH

No worries: Marion Barber is a top RB option
It seems like the league used to have a lot

more quality receivers than it does today.
With so many wideouts occupying roster
spots in the NFL, youd think there would
be a glut of talent at the position, but thats
just not the case. If your fantasy league
mandates that you start more than three
wide receivers, you could find yourself
struggling to fill those slots.
Even with the scarcity of reliable wideouts, there are a dozen that you can call
legitimate No. 1s. Beginning with Randy

Moss and ending with Plaxico Burress, this
group should give you no fears. The only
one you might have an issue with is Steve
Smith, who is suspended for the first two
games.
Similar to the RB position, there is a nice
quantity of reliable receivers after the top
12 that will produce with consistency. I see
about 15 such players, giving you approximately 27 starting-quality wideouts in total.
This would take you through Roddy White
in our rankings.
Whats disconcerting is the few
remaining receivers Id strongly be
targeting in drafts. There are about
only 12 more guys Id actually
have a desire to draft, resulting
in a sum of 39 wideouts that
are at least worthy of flex consideration. Thats a surprisingly
low number, especially given
the fact that there is a minimum of 64 starting
receivers in the NFL.
Id recommend grabbing four wide
receivers before
the top 40 are off
the board.
you basically can pick from anyone in our

rankings. Just try to avoid the bottom six or
seven they could be extremely unreliable.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
BONA FIDE NO. 1 UNITS: 9
Just as with placekickers, you should

select only one defense, and you shouldnt
do so until very late in your draft. People
almost always draft the top defensive units
much higher than they deserve to go. Since
the drop-off will be slim, youre better off
sitting tight and picking from the
remaining stop units in the final
rounds.
As for starting-caliber defenses, Id expect weekly production from the first nine
Minnesota
through
Seattle.
If
you
strongly want a
backup D, all
but the bottom
seven teams
could be serviceable.
TIGHT ENDS
BONA FIDE NO. 1
PLAYERS: 9
TOTAL LEGITIMATE
STARTERS: 19
TOTAL PLAYERS WORTH
CONSIDERING: 24
As the game of football evolves, so does the role

of the tight end. With offenses airing it
out more than ever, tight ends have
become an increasingly integral part of
many teams passing attacks. They also
are no longer a fantasy afterthought.
With todays best tight ends producing
like highly ranked receivers, its important to identify which ones you can count
on. I believe the top nine at the position
from Jason Witten to Todd Heap are
every-week fantasy plays. That crop not
only will catch TDs but will pile up
yardage, as well.
Another 10 or so tight ends certainly
are deserving of being drafted as backups.
This second group wont be very consistent, but theyll be acceptable bye-week
starts. Youll want to own two of the top
20 tight ends. And if your league is very
deep, there are probably about five more
that are at least worth giving a thought to.
PLACEKICKERS
Picking fantasy placekickers is pretty

straightforward: Draft only one and dont
even think about them until the last couple
rounds. There are nine whom you can blindly
put in your lineup each week and expect
points from, spanning from Stephen
Gostkowski to Mason Crosby.
If your league is especially large or if
youre dead set on grabbing a backup kicker,
Weekly start:
Carson Palmer is
among a group of
10 QBs who can
be relied upon
consistently
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
23
2008 draft board
Based on a standard performance system (six points for TD runs/catches, four points for TD passes and yardage bonuses). As of Aug. 17.
Quarterbacks
RK.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
PLAYER / TEAM
BYE
Tom Brady / Patriots
4
Peyton Manning / Colts
4
Tony Romo / Cowboys
10
Drew Brees / Saints
9
Carson Palmer / Bengals
8
Derek Anderson / Browns 5
Ben Roethlisberger / Steelers 6
Donovan McNabb / Eagles 7
Jay Cutler / Broncos
8
Matt Hasselbeck / Seahawks 4
Eli Manning / Giants
4
Matt Schaub / Texans
8
Jake Delhomme / Panthers 9
Philip Rivers / Chargers
9
Marc Bulger / Rams
5
David Garrard / Jaguars
7
Brett Favre / Jets
5
Aaron Rodgers / Packers
8
Jason Campbell / Redskins 10
Jon Kitna / Lions
4
Jeff Garcia / Buccaneers 10
Vince Young / Titans
6
Matt Leinart / Cardinals
7
JaMarcus Russell / Raiders 5
Tarvaris Jackson / Vikings 8
Trent Edwards / Bills
6
Kurt Warner / Cardinals
7
Chad Pennington / Dolphins 4
Brodie Croyle / Chiefs
6
J.T. OSullivan / 49ers
9
Kyle Orton / Bears
8
Matt Ryan / Falcons
7
Alex Smith / 49ers
9
Kyle Boller / Ravens
10
Chris Redman / Falcons
7
Rex Grossman / Bears
8
Troy Smith / Ravens
10
Sage Rosenfels / Texans
8
Billy Volek / Chargers
9
Gus Frerotte / Vikings
8
J.P. Losman / Bills
6
Kevin Kolb / Eagles
7
Kellen Clemens / Jets
5
Brady Quinn / Browns
5
Joe Flacco / Ravens
10
Cleo Lemon / Jaguars
7
Josh McCown / Dolphins
4
Kerry Collins / Titans
6
Trent Green / Rams
5
Todd Collins / Redskins
10
Seneca Wallace / Seahawks 4
Matt Moore / Panthers
9
Tyler Thigpen / Chiefs
6
Brian Griese / Buccaneers 10
Byron Leftwich / Steelers
6
Shaun Hill / 49ers
9
Joey Harrington / Falcons 7
Chad Henne / Dolphins
4
Brad Johnson / Cowboys 10
Patrick Ramsey / Broncos 8
Running backs
RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
BYE
LaDainian Tomlinson / Chargers 9

Brian Westbrook / Eagles 7
Adrian Peterson / Vikings 8
Steven Jackson / Rams
5
Joseph Addai / Colts
4
Clinton Portis / Redskins 10
Frank Gore / 49ers
9
Marshawn Lynch / Bills
6
Larry Johnson / Chiefs
6
Ryan Grant / Packers
8
Marion Barber / Cowboys 10
Willis McGahee / Ravens 10
Maurice Jones-Drew / Jaguars 7
Jamal Lewis / Browns
5
Laurence Maroney / Patriots 4
Earnest Graham / Buccaneers 10
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
Brandon Jacobs / Giants

4
Edgerrin James / Cardinals 7
Thomas Jones / Jets
5
LenDale White / Titans
6
Willie Parker / Steelers
6
Reggie Bush / Saints
9
Michael Turner / Falcon
7
Rudi Johnson / Bengals
8
Julius Jones / Seahawks
4
Darren McFadden / Raiders 5
Fred Taylor / Jaguars
7
Ronnie Brown / Dolphins
4
Jonathan Stewart / Panthers 9
Selvin Young / Broncos
8
Chester Taylor / Vikings
8
DeAngelo Williams / Panthers 9
Matt Fort / Bears
8
Kevin Smith / Lions
4
Chris Johnson / Titans
6
Ricky Williams / Dolphins
4
Ahman Green / Texans
8
Rashard Mendenhall / Steelers 6
Justin Fargas / Raiders
5
Jerious Norwood / Falcons 7
Deuce McAllister / Saints
9
Felix Jones / Cowboys
10
Leon Washington / Jets
5
Ahmad Bradshaw / Giants 4
Maurice Morris / Seahawks 4
Chris Brown / Texans
8
Ray Rice / Ravens
10
Tatum Bell / Lions
4
Warrick Dunn / Buccaneers 10
DeShaun Foster / 49ers
9
Dominic Rhodes / Colts
4
Kevin Jones / Bears
8
LaMont Jordan / Patriots
4
Chris Perry / Bengals
8
Fred Jackson / Bills
6
Brandon Jackson / Packers 8
Ladell Betts / Redskins
10
Jason Wright / Browns
5
Brian Leonard / Rams
5
T.J. Duckett / Seahawks
4
Steve Slaton / Texans
8
Jacob Hester / Chargers
9
Lorenzo Booker / Eagles
7
Darren Sproles / Chargers 9
Michael Bush / Raiders
5
Pierre Thomas / Saints
9
DeShawn Wynn / Packers 8
Derrick Ward / Giants
4
Tim Hightower / Cardinals 7
Kolby Smith / Chiefs
6
Kevin Faulk / Patriots
4
Mike Hart / Colts
4
Shaun Alexander / free agent
Kenny Watson / Bengals
8
Aaron Stecker / Saints
9
Sammy Morris / Patriots
4
Correll Buckhalter / Eagles 7
Jamaal Charles / Chiefs
6
Tashard Choice / Cowboys 10
Cadillac Williams / Buccaneers 10
Andre Hall / Broncos
8
J.J. Arrington / Cardinals
7
Cedric Benson / free agent
Adrian Peterson / Bears
8
Mewelde Moore / Steelers 6
Jesse Chatman / Jets
5
Chris Henry / Titans
6
Greg Jones / Jaguars
7
Chris Taylor / Texans
8
Antonio Pittman / Rams
5
Wide receivers
RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
BYE
Randy Moss / Patriots

4
Terrell Owens / Cowboys 10
Braylon Edwards / Browns 5
Larry Fitzgerald / Cardinals 7
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
Reggie Wayne / Colts

4
Andre Johnson / Texans
8
Marques Colston / Saints 9
T.J. Houshmandzadeh / Bengals 8
Chad Johnson / Bengals
8
Steve Smith / Panthers
9
Torry Holt / Rams
5
Plaxico Burress / Giants
4
Wes Welker / Patriots
4
Anquan Boldin / Cardinals 7
Roy Williams / Lions
4
Greg Jennings / Packers
8
Brandon Marshall / Broncos 8
Santonio Holmes / Steelers 6
Marvin Harrison / Colts
4
Hines Ward / Steelers
6
Dwayne Bowe / Chiefs
6
Calvin Johnson / Lions
4
Chris Chambers / Chargers 9
Laveranues Coles / Jets
5
Lee Evans / Bills
6
Joey Galloway / Buccaneers 10
Roddy White / Falcons
7
Bernard Berrian / Vikings
8
Jerricho Cotchery / Jets
5
Santana Moss / Redskins 10
Donald Driver / Packers
8
Dont Stallworth / Browns 5
Kevin Curtis / Eagles
7
Nate Burleson / Seahawks 4
Patrick Crayton / Cowboys 10
Anthony Gonzalez / Colts 4
Jerry Porter / Jaguars
7
Sidney Rice / Vikings
8
Vincent Jackson / Chargers 9
Ronald Curry / Raiders
5
James Hardy / Bills
6
Derrick Mason / Ravens 10
Javon Walker / Raiders
5
Bobby Engram / Seahawks 4
Bryant Johnson / 49ers
9
Justin Gage / Titans
6
Isaac Bruce / 49ers
9
Mark Clayton / Ravens
10
Reggie Brown / Eagles
7
Devin Hester / Bears
8
D.J. Hackett / Panthers
9
Jabar Gaffney / Patriots
4
Drew Bennett / Rams
5
DeSean Jackson / Eagles 7
Ted Ginn Jr. / Dolphins
4
Kevin Walter / Texans
8
Muhsin Muhammad / Panthers 9
Amani Toomer / Giants
4
Darrell Jackson / Broncos 8
Reggie Williams / Jaguars 7
Eddie Royal / Broncos
8
Laurent Robinson / Falcons 7
Steve Smith / Giants
4
Antwaan Randle El / Redskins 10
Deion Branch / Seahawks 4
Robert Meachem / Saints 9
Marty Booker / Bears
8
Devin Thomas / Redskins 10
Donnie Avery / Rams
5
Michael Jenkins / Falcons 7
Ernest Wilford / Dolphins
4
Limas Sweed / Steelers
6
Andr Davis / Texans
8
Mike Furrey / Lions
4
Brandon Stokley / Broncos 8
James Jones / Packers
8
Drew Carter / Raiders
5
Bobby Wade / Vikings
8
Jerome Simpson / Bengals 8
Roscoe Parrish / Bills
6
Troy Williamson / Jaguars 7
David Patten / Saints
9
Buster Davis / Chargers
9
Justin McCareins / Titans 6
Derek Hagan / Dolphins
4
86. Roydell Williams / Titans

6
87. Shaun McDonald / Lions
4
88. Keary Colbert / Broncos
8
89. Courtney Taylor / Seahawks 4
90. Dennis Northcutt / Jaguars 7
91. Ike Hilliard / Buccaneers 10
92. Josh Morgan / 49ers
9
93. Rashied Davis / Bears
8
94. Nate Washington / Steelers 6
95. Earl Bennett / Bears
8
96. Devard Darling / Chiefs
6
97. Arnaz Battle / 49ers
9
98. Chansi Stuckey / Jets
5
99. Reche Caldwell / Rams
5
100.Terry Glenn / free agent
101. Ben Obomanu / Seahawks 4
102. Steve Breaston / Cardinals 7
103. Sam Hurd / Cowboys
10
104. Malcolm Kelly / Redskins 10
105. Joe Jurevicius / Browns
5
106. Robert Ferguson / Vikings 8
107. Demetrius Williams / Ravens 10
108. Maurice Stovall / Buccaneers 10
109. Jacoby Jones / Texans
8
110. Jerheme Urban / Cardinals 7
Tight ends
RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
BYE
Jason Witten / Cowboys 10

Antonio Gates / Chargers 9
Kellen Winslow / Browns
5
Tony Gonzalez / Chiefs
6
Chris Cooley / Redskins 10
Dallas Clark / Colts
4
Jeremy Shockey / Saints
9
Heath Miller / Steelers
6
Todd Heap / Ravens
10
Vernon Davis / 49ers
9
Owen Daniels / Texans
8
Tony Scheffler / Broncos
8
Alge Crumpler / Titans
6
Donald Lee / Packers
8
Greg Olsen / Bears
8
L.J. Smith / Eagles
7
Ben Watson / Patriots
4
Zach Miller / Raiders
5
Ben Utecht / Bengals
8
Randy McMichael / Rams 5
Dustin Keller / Jets
5
Kevin Boss / Giants
4
Leonard Pope / Cardinals 7
Marcedes Lewis / Jaguars 7
Desmond Clark / Bears
8
Alex Smith / Buccaneers 10
John Carlson / Seahawks 4
Anthony Fasano / Dolphins 4
Chris Baker / Jets
5
Robert Royal / Bills
6
Visanthe Shiancoe / Vikings 8
David Martin / Dolphins
4
Jeff King / Panthers
9
Ben Hartsock / Falcons
7
David Thomas / Patriots
4
Brent Celek / Eagles
7
Bo Scaife / Titans
6
Dante Rosario / Panthers 9
Ben Troupe / Buccaneers 10
Kris Wilson / Eagles
7
Billy Miller / Saints
9
Jermichael Finley / Packers 8
Matt Spaeth / Steelers
6
Fred Davis / Redskins
10
Bubba Franks / Jets
5
Placekickers
RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
BYE
Stephen Gostkowski / Patriots 4

Nick Folk / Cowboys
10
Josh Brown / Rams
5
Phil Dawson / Browns
5
Shayne Graham / Bengals 8
Adam Vinatieri / Colts
4
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P r o F o o t b a l l W e e k l y. c o m
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24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
Nate Kaeding / Chargers

9
Rob Bironas / Titans
6
Mason Crosby / Packers
8
Neil Rackers / Cardinals
7
Kris Brown / Texans
8
David Akers / Eagles
7
Josh Scobee / Jaguars
7
John Kasay / Panthers
9
Shaun Suisham / Redskins 10
Olindo Mare / Seahawks
4
Jason Hanson / Lions
4
Jeff Reed / Steelers
6
Jason Elam / Falcons
7
Matt Bryant / Buccaneers 10
Martin Gramatica / Saints 9
Ryan Longwell / Vikings
8
Robbie Gould / Bears
8
Mike Nugent / Jets
5
Matt Stover / Ravens
10
Lawrence Tynes / Giants
4
Sebastian Janikowski / Raiders 5
Joe Nedney / 49ers
9
Rian Lindell / Bills
6
Matt Prater / Broncos
8
Dan Carpenter / Dolphins 4
Chiefs placekicker
6
Defenses/
special teams
RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
Minnesota Vikings
San Diego Chargers
New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys
Chicago Bears
Jacksonville Jaguars
Pittsburgh Steelers
New England Patriots
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baltimore Ravens
Green Bay Packers
Philadelphia Eagles
Buffalo Bills
Oakland Raiders
Indianapolis Colts
Tennessee Titans
Washington Redskins
Houston Texans
New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers
Cleveland Browns
Denver Broncos
Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
St. Louis Rams
New Orleans Saints
Miami Dolphins
Cincinnati Bengals
Atlanta Falcons
BYE
8
9
4
10
8
7
6
4
4
10
10
8
7
6
5
4
6
10
8
5
9
5
8
7
9
4
6
5
9
4
8
7
Top 100 overall

RK. PLAYER / TEAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson / Chargers

RB Brian Westbrook / Eagles
RB Adrian Peterson / Vikings
RB Steven Jackson / Rams
QB Tom Brady / Patriots
RB Joseph Addai / Colts
RB Clinton Portis / Redskins
RB Frank Gore / 49ers
RB Marshawn Lynch / Bills
WR Randy Moss / Patriots
RB Larry Johnson / Chiefs
QB Peyton Manning / Colts
RB Ryan Grant / Packers
WR Terrell Owens / Cowboys
RB Marion Barber / Cowboys
WR Braylon Edwards / Browns
WR Larry Fitzgerald / Cardinals
WR Reggie Wayne / Colts
19. RB Willis McGahee / Ravens

20. RB Maurice Jones-Drew / Jaguars
21. WR Andre Johnson / Texans
22. QB Tony Romo / Cowboys
23. RB Jamal Lewis / Browns
24. WR Marques Colston / Saints
25. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh / Bengals
26. WR Chad Johnson / Bengals
27. RB Laurence Maroney / Patriots
28. QB Drew Brees / Saints
29. WR Steve Smith / Panthers
30. RB Earnest Graham / Buccaneers
31. RB Brandon Jacobs / Giants
32. WR Torry Holt / Rams
33. QB Carson Palmer / Bengals
34. WR Plaxico Burress / Giants
35. WR Wes Welker / Patriots
36. WR Anquan Boldin / Cardinals
37. QB Derek Anderson / Browns
38. RB Edgerrin James / Cardinals
39. TE Jason Witten / Cowboys
40. RB Thomas Jones / Jets
41. RB LenDale White / Titans
42. RB Willie Parker / Steelers
43. RB Reggie Bush / Saints
44. QB Ben Roethlisberger / Steelers
45. RB Michael Turner / Falcons
46. WR Roy Williams / Lions
47. TE Antonio Gates / Chargers
48. RB Rudi Johnson / Bengals
49. WR Greg Jennings / Packers
50. WR Brandon Marshall / Broncos
51. RB Julius Jones / Seahawks
52. RB Darren McFadden / Raiders
53. TE Kellen Winslow / Browns
54. WR Santonio Holmes / Steelers
55. RB Fred Taylor / Jaguars
56. WR Marvin Harrison / Colts
57. RB Ronnie Brown / Dolphins
58. WR Hines Ward / Steelers
59. QB Donovan McNabb / Eagles
60. TE Tony Gonzalez / Chiefs
61. WR Dwayne Bowe / Chiefs
62. TE Chris Cooley / Redskins
63. QB Jay Cutler / Broncos
64. WR Calvin Johnson / Lions
65. QB Matt Hasselbeck / Seahawks
66. RB Jonathan Stewart / Panthers
67. TE Dallas Clark / Colts
68. WR Chris Chambers / Chargers
69. WR Laveranues Coles / Jets
70. WR Lee Evans / Bills
71. WR Joey Galloway / Buccaneers
72. WR Roddy White / Falcons
73. QB Eli Manning / Giants
74. WR Bernard Berrian / Vikings
75. RB Selvin Young / Broncos
76. WR Jerricho Cotchery / Jets
77. WR Santana Moss / Redskins
78. WR Donald Driver / Packers
79. RB Chester Taylor / Vikings
80. WR Dont Stallworth / Browns
81. RB DeAngelo Williams / Panthers
82. RB Matt Fort / Bears
83. WR Kevin Curtis / Eagles
84. RB Kevin Smith / Lions
85. QB Matt Schaub / Texans
86. WR Nate Burleson / Seahawks
87. RB Chris Johnson / Titans
88. WR Patrick Crayton / Cowboys
89. DST Vikings
90. TE Jeremy Shockey / Saints
91. RB Ricky Williams / Dolphins
92. WR Anthony Gonzalez / Colts
93. QB Jake Delhomme / Panthers
94. QB Philip Rivers / Chargers
95. RB Ahman Green / Texans
96. RB Rashard Mendenhall / Steelers
97. DST Chargers
98. TE Heath Miller / Steelers
99. RB Justin Fargas / Raiders
100. TE Todd Heap / Ravens
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
24
AUGUST 24, 2008
Auction leagues
Auction owners must spend wisely

By ERIC
EDHOLM
SENIOR EDITOR
tumped over which running back LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian

Peterson or Brian Westbrook deserves top fantasy honors? Wondering which one most belongs on your team?
One solution: Go get two of the three.
Such talk, of course, is restricted to auction leagues, where every
player is up for grabs on the open market, and if an owner wants to pair L.T.
with A.P., then by golly, thats his prerogative. Naturally, the rest of his team
might look like the Bad News Bears, but thats both the beauty and the challenge of the auction format.
For the uninitiated, the basic rules are as follows: Owners (PFWs league
is based on 10 teams) must bid money on players (our salary cap is $100) to
fill up roster spots (we use 16 players per fantasy team), as opposed to drafting players one by one. Players names are brought up, and owners can bid
on them, raising the bids in $1 increments, provided they have enough cap
space to fill out a complete roster.
Owners must decide if spending $33 for Tomlinson is smarter than filling
two spots with, say, Clinton Portis ($23) and Brandon Jacobs ($10).
With each of the 10 teams spending up to a mock $100, thats roughly
$1,000 that will be spent, so we based our suggested prices on that scale and
what the demand for certain players is. One interesting element that an auction league has that your typical snake league doesnt is a built-in scaling
system, so its easier to see where the drop-off points are at each position.
For instance, there is a significant drop-off in our rankings from Joseph
Addai, the fifth back ($27) to Portis, the sixth back, so you might consider
spending your money elsewhere if you dont get a top-five back.
As for strategy when drafting, it might be smart to bid up players so that
your opponents have to overpay for players they really want. But just be sure
not to overbid on Tony Romo when you already have Carson Palmer on your
roster.
Quarterbacks
RK. PLAYER / TEAM................................PRICE
1. Tom Brady / Patriots ............$24

2. Peyton Manning / Colts ........$20
3. Tony Romo / Cowboys ........$19
4. Drew Brees / Saints ............$16
5. Carson Palmer / Bengals ....$15
6. Derek Anderson / Browns ....$11
7. Ben Roethlisberger / Steelers..$9
8. Donovan McNabb / Eagles ....$7
9. Jay Cutler / Broncos ..............$6
10. Matt Hasselbeck / Seahawks..$5
11. Eli Manning / Giants ..............$4
12. Matt Schaub / Texans ............$3
13. Jake Delhomme / Panthers ....$3
14. Philip Rivers / Chargers..........$2
15. Marc Bulger / Rams ..............$2
16. David Garrard / Jaguars ........$2
17. Brett Favre / Jets ....................$2
18. Aaron Rodgers / Packers ......$1
19. Jason Campbell / Redskins....$1
20. Jon Kitna / Lions ....................$1
21. Jeff Garcia / Buccaneers........$0
22. Vince Young / Titans ..............$0
23. Matt Leinart / Cardinals ..........$0
24. JaMarcus Russell / Raiders ..$0
25. Tarvaris Jackson / Vikings ......$0
26. Trent Edwards / Bills ..............$0
27. Kurt Warner / Cardinals..........$0
28. Chad Pennington / Dolphins ..$0
29. Brodie Croyle / Chiefs ............$0
KWR
SPORTPICS
30. J.T. OSullivan / 49ers ............$0

31. Kyle Orton / Bears..................$0
32. Matt Ryan / Falcons ..............$0
33. Alex Smith / 49ers ..................$0
34. Kyle Boller / Ravens ..............$0
35. Chris Redman / Falcons ........$0
36. Rex Grossman / Bears ..........$0
37. Troy Smith / Ravens ..............$0
38. Sage Rosenfels / Texans........$0
39. Billy Volek / Chargers ............$0
40. Gus Frerotte / Vikings ............$0
Running backs
1. LaDainian Tomlinson/ Chargers ..$33

2. Brian Westbrook / Eagles ....$31
3. Adrian Peterson / Vikings ....$30
4. Steven Jackson / Rams........$28
5. Joseph Addai / Colts ............$27
6. Clinton Portis / Redskins ......$23
7. Frank Gore / 49ers ..............$21
8. Marshawn Lynch / Bills ........$20
9. Larry Johnson / Chiefs ........$18
10. Ryan Grant / Packers ..........$16
11. Marion Barber / Cowboys ....$16
12. Willis McGahee / Ravens ....$13
13. Maurice Jones-Drew / Jaguars..$12
14. Jamal Lewis / Browns ..........$12
15. Laurence Maroney / Patriots..$10
16. Earnest Graham / Buccaneers ..$10
17. Brandon Jacobs / Giants ......$10
18. Edgerrin James / Cardinals....$9
19. Thomas Jones / Jets ..............$8
20. LenDale White / Titans ..........$7
21. Willie Parker / Steelers ..........$7
22. Reggie Bush / Saints..............$7
23. Michael Turner / Falcons ........$6
24. Rudi Johnson / Bengals ........$6
25. Julius Jones / Seahawks ........$6
26. Darren McFadden / Raiders ..$5
27. Fred Taylor / Jaguars ..............$5
28. Ronnie Brown / Dolphins........$4
29. Jonathan Stewart / Panthers ..$4
30. Selvin Young / Broncos ..........$3
31. Chester Taylor / Vikings ..........$3
32. DeAngelo Williams / Panthers..$3
JAMES D. SMITH
Prices are based on a combination

of PFWs current draft board (found on
Page 23 of this issue) and what PFW
editors bid in an auction draft during
the summer.
Based on a 10-team league with a
$100 budget per team and the following starting lineup configuration: 1 QB,
2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 PK, 1 defense.
Total roster is comprised of 16 spots,
which typically include 2 QBs, 4 RBs,
5 WRs and 2 TEs (or 5 RBs and 4
WRs), 1 PK, 1 defense and one more
reserve player. The scoring system follows standard performance rules.
Wide receivers
SPORTPICS
SUGGESTED AUCTION
PRICE LIST
HARRY SCULL JR.
33. Matt Fort / Bears ..................$2

34. Kevin Smith / Lions ................$2
35. Chris Johnson / Titans............$2
36. Ricky Williams / Dolphins ......$1
37. Ahman Green / Texans ..........$1
38. Rashard Mendenhall / Steelers..$1
39. Justin Fargas / Raiders ..........$1
40. Jerious Norwood / Falcons ....$1
41. Deuce McAllister / Saints ......$1
42. Felix Jones / Cowboys............$1
43. Leon Washington / Jets ..........$1
44. Ahmad Bradshaw / Giants......$1
45. Maurice Morris / Seahawks ....$1
46. Chris Brown / Texans..............$0
47. Ray Rice / Ravens ..................$0
48. Tatum Bell / Lions ..................$0
49. Warrick Dunn / Buccaneers ....$0
50. DeShaun Foster / 49ers ........$0
51. Dominic Rhodes / Colts ..........$0
52. Kevin Jones / Bears................$0
53. LaMont Jordan / Patriots ........$0
54. Chris Perry / Bengals..............$0
55. Fred Jackson / Bills ................$0
Big money: (Top to bottom) QB Tom

Brady, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, WR
Randy Moss, TE Jason Witten and PK
Stephen Gostkowski are the highest
priced at their respective positions
1. Randy Moss / Patriots ..........$22

2. Terrell Owens / Cowboys......$19
3. Braylon Edwards / Browns ..$18
4. Larry Fitzgerald / Cardinals ..$17
5. Reggie Wayne / Colts ..........$16
6. Andre Johnson / Texans ......$16
7. Marques Colston / Saints ....$15
8. T.J. Houshmandzadeh / Bengals..$14
9. Chad Johnson / Bengals ......$13
10. Steve Smith / Panthers ........$12
11. Torry Holt / Rams ................$11
12. Plaxico Burress / Giants ......$11
13. Wes Welker / Patriots ..........$10
14. Anquan Boldin / Cardinals....$10
15. Roy Williams / Lions ..............$9
16. Greg Jennings / Packers ........$9
17. Brandon Marshall / Broncos ..$8
18. Santonio Holmes / Steelers....$8
19. Marvin Harrison / Colts ..........$8
20. Hines Ward / Steelers ............$7
21. Dwayne Bowe / Chiefs ..........$7
22. Calvin Johnson / Lions ..........$6
23. Chris Chambers / Chargers ..$6
24. Laveranues Coles / Jets ........$5
25. Lee Evans / Bills ....................$5
26. Joey Galloway / Buccaneers ..$4
27. Roddy White / Falcons ..........$4
28. Bernard Berrian / Vikings ......$3
29. Jerricho Cotchery / Jets ........$3
30. Santana Moss / Redskins ......$3
31. Donald Driver / Packers..........$3
32. Dont Stallworth / Browns......$2
33. Kevin Curtis / Eagles ..............$2
34. Nate Burleson / Seahawks ....$2
35. Patrick Crayton / Cowboys ....$2
36. Anthony Gonzalez / Colts ......$2
37. Jerry Porter / Jaguars ............$2
38. Sidney Rice / Vikings..............$2
39. Vincent Jackson / Chargers ..$2
40. Ronald Curry / Raiders ..........$1
41. James Hardy / Bills ................$1
42. Derrick Mason / Ravens ........$1
43. Javon Walker / Raiders ..........$1
44. Bobby Engram / Seahawks ....$1
45. Bryant Johnson / 49ers ..........$1
46. Justin Gage / Titans................$0
47. Isaac Bruce / 49ers ................$0
48. Mark Clayton / Ravens ..........$0
49. Reggie Brown / Eagles ..........$0
50. Devin Hester / Bears ..............$0
51. D.J. Hackett / Panthers ..........$0
52. Jabar Gaffney / Patriots ..........$0

53. Drew Bennett / Rams ............$0
54. DeSean Jackson / Eagles ......$0
55. Ted Ginn / Dolphins................$0
Tight ends
1. Jason Witten / Cowboys ........$8

2. Antonio Gates / Chargers ......$8
3. Kellen Winslow / Browns ........$6
4. Tony Gonzalez / Chiefs ..........$5
5. Chris Cooley / Redskins ........$4
6. Dallas Clark / Colts ................$3
7. Jeremy Shockey / Saints ........$3
8. Heath Miller / Steelers............$3
9. Todd Heap / Ravens ..............$3
10. Vernon Davis / 49ers ..............$2
11. Owen Daniels / Texans ..........$2
12. Tony Scheffler / Broncos ........$1
13. Alge Crumpler / Titans............$1
14. Donald Lee / Packers ............$1
15. Greg Olsen / Bears ................$1
16. L.J. Smith / Eagles..................$1
17. Ben Watson / Patriots ............$1
18. Zach Miller / Raiders ..............$1
19. Ben Utecht / Bengals ............$1
20. Randy McMichael / Rams ......$1
21. Dustin Keller / Jets ................$0
22. Kevin Boss / Giants ................$0
23. Leonard Pope / Cardinals ....$0
24. Marcedes Lewis / Jaguars......$0
25. Desmond Clark / Bears ..........$0
Placekickers
1. Stephen Gostkowski / Patriots..$2

2. Nick Folk / Cowboys ..............$2
3. Josh Brown / Rams ................$2
4. Phil Dawson / Browns ............$1
5. Shayne Graham / Bengals ....$1
6. Adam Vinatieri / Colts ............$1
7. Nate Kaeding / Chargers........$1
8. Rob Bironas / Titans ..............$1
9. Mason Crosby / Packers ........$1
10. Neil Rackers / Cardinals ........$1
11. Kris Brown / Texans................$1
12. David Akers / Eagles ..............$1
13. Josh Scobee / Jaguars ..........$1
14. John Kasay / Panthers ..........$0
15. Shaun Suisham / Redskins ....$0
16. Olindo Mare / Seahawks ........$0
17. Jason Hanson / Lions ............$0
18. Jeff Reed / Steelers................$0
19. Jason Elam / Falcons ............$0
20. Matt Bryant / Buccaneers ......$0
Defenses
1. Minnesota Vikings ..................$3

2. San Diego Chargers ..............$3
3. New York Giants ....................$3
4. Dallas Cowboys......................$2
5. Chicago Bears........................$2
6. Jacksonville Jaguars ..............$2
7. Pittsburgh Steelers ................$1
8. New England Patriots ............$1
9. Seattle Seahawks ..................$1
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers ........$1
11. Baltimore Ravens ..................$1
12. Green Bay Packers ................$1
13. Philadelphia Eagles................$1
14. Buffalo Bills ............................$0
15. Oakland Raiders ....................$0
16. Indianapolis Colts ..................$0
17. Tennessee Titans ..................$0
18. Washington Redskins ............$0
19. Houston Texans ......................$0
20. New York Jets ........................$0
You can always rely on
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
2008 PRESEASON
26
teams. Oakland will be hard-pressed to
get solid, consistent protection on the
edge on passing downs and probably will
have to keep TE Zach Miller in as a
blocker to help hold off defenders, taking
a big target away from Russell. There
isnt much depth at tackle, so the Raiders
will need Harris and Green to stay
healthy.
San Diego Chargers

Veteran to watch: The status of TE
Antonio Gates will be the Chargers

biggest story line heading into Week One.
Gates is recovering from offseason toe
surgery that many believed could sideline
the Pro Bowler into the regular season. He
was able to run routes in training camp but
had yet to practice with the team at this
writing. Gates hopes to return to practice
soon, but he cant guarantee that hell be
ready for the Sept. 7 season opener. All of
San Diego will keep a close eye on his
progress in the coming weeks.
Rookie to watch: Third-round pick
Jacob Hester, a RB-FB hybrid, really stood
out during training camp. The LSU product has been a physical force, creating
holes, picking up blitzes and plowing over
defenders. He quickly has become one of
head coach Norv Turners favorite players,
which likely will result in ample playing
time from Day One. Hesters talents were
fully on display in the Chargers first preseason game, as he rushed for 49 yards and
two TDs.
Injury update: The only serious injuries
in Chargers camp belonged to Gates and C
Nick Hardwick. Hardwicks recovery from
foot surgery is likely to carry over into the
regular season. Other starters, like WR
Vincent Jackson (hamstring), FB Andrew
Pinnock (knee), OT Marcus McNeill
(neck) and DE Luis Castillo (back), have
missed time but have returned to practice.
Also, QB Philip Rivers and LB Shawne
Merriman are doing fine after each underwent offseason knee surgery.
Strongest position: The Bolts have a
slew of choices here, but their awesome
secondary takes the cake. CB Antonio
Cromartie blossomed into a superstar last
season, leading the league with 10 interceptions. Opposite him is solid veteran
Quentin Jammer. The starting safety duo is
made up of Clinton Hart, who picked off
five passes in 07, and Eric Weddle, a great
all-around talent with tremendous potential. Impressive 08 first-round pick
Antoine Cason looks to be the units primary nickel corner.
Weakest position: The only real weak
spot for the Chargers is at inside linebacker. For as much talent as they have at
outside backer, theyre equally barren on
the inside, and it doesnt help that Stephen
Cooper, who started all 16 games last season, is suspended for the first four games.
Matt Wilhelm and Derek Smith certainly
dont inspire much excitement and
theyre slated to be Week One starters. San
Diego has some skilled young players at
the position in Brandon Siler and Anthony
Waters, but they both lack experience.
Dallas Cowboys
Veteran to watch: With third-year WR
Miles Austin, who has had a strong preseason, slowed by a sprained MCL that
could force him to miss the first regularseason game, all eyes have turned to Sam
Hurd. Patrick Crayton remains the starter
opposite Terrell Owens, but the Cowboys
would like someone to rise up as a true No.
3 receiver. Hurd has had his moments in

practice, but Austin had been the better
game player this preseason. Hurd is consistent, but he will be asked to do more.
Rookies to watch: RBs Felix Jones and
Tashard Choice have been everything the
team expected and more. Jones showed
some nifty moves in the preseason opener,
both as a runner and receiver, and once he
gets down his pass blocking, Jones should
be the third-down back. But dont overlook Choice, who runs hard and plays at
full speed all the time. As long as he can
improve as a special-teamer, hell have a
role on this team.
Injury update: The team is planning on
being very cautious with CB Terence
Newman, who has a slight groin tear and
could miss the majority of the preseason.
He missed the start of last season and still
made the Pro Bowl, so hes not concerned
about catching up after a shortened preseason. Other than LB Anthony Spencer, who
has missed some practice time with a bone
bruise, the Cowboys are in decent shape.
Strongest positions: With Newman
healthy, its cornerback, where the team
might be five or six deep for the first time
in years. But without Newman out there,
linebacker also stands as a talented and
deep position. OLBs DeMarcus Ware,
Greg Ellis and Spencer are a three-headed
monster, and the ILB duo of Zach Thomas
and Bradie James has been solid. The
backups inside didnt play well in the San
Diego game, but Kevin Burnett and Bobby
Carpenter have talent and flexibility.
Weakest position: Right now, its probably the special-teams coverage units. It
was a big problem last season, especially
in the playoff loss, and little has changed
thus far. Special-teams coordinator Bruce
Read said the team needs more players
like Deon Anderson and Patrick Watkins,
young bench players who emerged as
tackling demons in coverage. The final
few roster spots could come down to
which players contribute more on special
teams.
New York Giants

Veteran to watch: WR Sinorice Moss
has taken advantage of the injuries to
Plaxico Burress, Steve Smith, Amani
Toomer and Mario Manningham, making
plays when he has been out there. But will
it be enough to save his place on the team?
The Giants were not a great deep-passing
team last season, with Burress accounting
for most of the big plays downfield. That,
plus the WR injuries, could be enough to
keep a spot on the roster for Moss.
Rookie to watch: Much has been written
about the prowess of first-round FS Kenny
Phillips, but you couldnt help but be
shocked at how much safeties coach Dave
Merritt gushed about Phillips. I definitely
see a special player, Merritt said recently.
Athletically, Kenny is without a doubt
one of the best Ive seen. The kid has
unbelievable range. That range and closing speed have been the two traits that
have impressed Giants coaches and players alike, and there should be little holding
Phillips back from starting in Week One.
Injury update: Burress is back on the
practice field, and although he might not
play much, if at all, in the preseason, he
should be fine for the opener against the
Redskins. Manningham, however, has
done almost nothing. His quad injury
could linger, and its looking more as if he
wont contribute for a while. Another
question is with OT Shane Olivea (back),
who appears to be testing Tom Coughlins
patience a bit with how long he has been
out. Rookie LB Jonathan Goff (fractured
transverse process) is expected to miss
AUGUST 24, 2008
much or all of the season. WR David Tyree

(knee) remains on the PUP list.
Strongest position: The offensive line
shouldnt be overlooked, but the defensive
front remains the most talented and deepest spot. Osi Umenyiora is a Pro Bowl talent, and Justin Tuck doesnt appear too far
behind. You also have to throw in Mathias
Kiwanuka with the group as a nickel end,
rushing from a three-point stance as much
as 40 percent of the time. DTs Barry
Cofield and Fred Robbins both have
slimmed down this offseason, and the
depth along the line appears respectable
despite Michael Strahans retirement.
Weakest position: Its probably at weakside linebacker, where the coaches appear
to want Gerris Wilkinson to win the job,
but he has been inconsistent with a knee
injury thus far. He still could win the job,
but you might see the more experienced
Danny Clark who is regarded as a stopgap player and not a real playmaker
win the job for the time being if Wilkinson
cant show more.
Philadelphia Eagles
Veteran to watch: The strange story of
OG Shawn Andrews has teammates wondering whether to support him, as he says

hes battling depression. Its a tricky,
touchy issue, but the fact that the team
knew about it and still considered
Andrews absence from camp unexcused
before he reported gives you a good idea
that the coaches might not fully believe
Andrews story. We hear that about 75 percent of the locker room is behind Andrews,
but that the other quarter including
guys like Jon Runyan isnt convinced
that its teammate wasnt just trying to miss
some time from camp.
Rookie to watch: Theres no question
that WR DeSean Jackson is ahead of
where many expected him to be. His
immediate value was thought to be on
returns, but he has started slowly there.
Instead, Jackson appears to be the rare
rookie wideout who could grasp the Andy
Reid offense and make a significant
impact as a pass catcher in his first season.
He adds a speed element after the catch
that this team lacked last season, and Jackson has caught almost everything thrown
his way so far.
Injury update: Andrews is working his
way back into game shape while mostly
working on the side. The worst-case scenario on DE Victor Abiamiri (dislocated
wrist) is expected to be several months on
the shelf, but he might be able to contribute this season. CB Asante Samuel
(hamstring) isnt too worried about the
three weeks of practice he missed, but the
Eagles are glad hes finally out there working with the starting defense.
Strongest position: If Lito Sheppard,
who has been at odds with Eagles management over his contract, is on the field,
the team is very strong at cornerback.
Samuel took Sheppards spot at left corner,
but Sheppard and Sheldon Brown are battling at right corner. Both have looked
good, and defensive coordinator Jim Johnson estimates that all three corners will be
on the field 50-60 percent of the time.
Samuel and Sheppard have very good
playmaking ability, and Brown is tough
and physical.
Weakest position: Its tough to pick on
the fullbacks, who only figure to play
about a third of the offensive snaps with
the Eagles likely to use a lot of split-back
sets with both Brian Westbrook and Lorenzo Booker. But so far, fullback is one of
the bigger unknowns. Its a position where
the players must block, catch an occasional pass and play well on special teams,
which could give the edge to undrafted

rookie Jed Collins, who has stood out over
Jason Davis and Luke Lawton so far.
Washington Redskins
Veteran to watch: LB Marcus Washington is flying around like he did when he
joined the team in 2004 and could be in
line for another Pro Bowl season. Onlookers say that Washington, who wont be
playing any more nickel end as long as
Andre Carter and Jason Taylor are on the
field, has been healthy and has looked
more athletic for the first time in a few seasons. Washingtons unbridled enthusiasm
and volume in practices have been rivaled
only by the notably excitable Fred Smoot
thus far.
Rookie to watch: Third-round OL Chad
Rinehart has proven to be a quick study,
looking good at left guard before switching to some reps at left tackle in place of
Stephon Heyer. Rinehart actually looked
more effective in pass protection on the
edge than Heyer and could replace him as
Chris Samuels primary backup. Rinehart
likely is one snap away from starting, considering the age of Samuels (31) and OLG
Pete Kendall (35).
Injury update: A lot of the injuries have
been of the day-to-day variety, but there is
a growing concern about rookie WRs
Devin Thomas (hamstring) and Malcolm
Kelly (left knee scope) missing so much
time. Luckily, Santana Moss has been
healthy, which hasnt always been the
case. OTs Todd Wade (right high ankle
sprain) and Heyer (sprained knee) should
return soon. Another concern is with FS
LaRon Landry (hamstring), who hasnt
been able to stay on the field yet this preseason.
Strongest position: If Landry is back,
the secondary has a chance to be really
good. There also have been injuries to CBs
Carlos Rogers and Smoot, who both have
knee problems, and SS Reed Doughty has
been good but not great since the team
essentially gave him the starting spot. But
with better depth (rookie S Chris Horton
has looked good) and flexibility (CB
Shawn Springs has played some free safety), this group stands out as the most talented.
Weakest position: We cant call it a true
weakness yet, and there are depth concerns at several other spots, but the punters
havent performed as expected. Rookie
Durant Brooks has the leg to win the job,
and he kicked well against the Colts in the
second preseason game, but his day-to-day
consistency might be an issue. Incumbent
Derrick Frost usually has good averages,
but he almost always has at least one bad
punt per outing. This battle could go down
to the wire.
Chicago Bears
Veteran to watch: Versatile, athletic
ninth-year veteran John St. Clair is bestsuited as the Bears swing tackle. But with
first-round draft pick Chris Williams out
with a herniated disc, it appears the Bears
plan on entrusting St. Clair with the allimportant starting job at the OLT spot
instead of going back to John Tait, the
starting left tackle in 07 whom they
would prefer to keep at right tackle. In his
three previous seasons as a backup with
the Bears, St. Clair has made nine starts,
including four at left tackle. If he stays put,
matchups vs. Dwight Freeney (Colts) and
Julius Peppers (Panthers) the first two
weeks of the season should provide a
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
27
2008 PRESEASON
Pressures on: The Bears need John St.

Clair (left) and rookie Matt Fort to play well
Detroit Lions
Veteran to watch: Its not the sexiest
choice, but DT Shaun Cody must improve

markedly for the Lions to improve up front.
Hes in his contract year and so far has been
a second-round disappointment. Cody might
not start, but he could be a key member of a
DT rotation that is being asked to fill the
massive shoes of Shaun Rogers. Cody has
lost 15 pounds and was down to the 292pound range, and he appeared to be getting
upfield better in the preseason than he did
last year.
Rookie to watch: RB Kevin Smith has a
great chance to start right away, and hes
finding himself in the middle of the teams
new commitment to a running game. Even if
the Lions are ugly in doing so, as they have
been to this point, running the football is at
the heart of what they are trying to do. The
thinking is that if they can increase the number of rushing attempts, wear teams down
physically and make opponents respect the
run, it will open things up for QB Jon Kitna
to throw to his talented wideouts. Smith
appears to have good vision, cuts well and
hits the hole hard. The yards will come, even
if it takes some patience.
Injury update: Now that TE Dan Campbell, S Daniel Bullocks and WR Shaun
McDonald are back, most of the injuries are
of the day-to-day variety. PK Jason Hanson
has a left thigh strain, but he should miss
only one preseason game.
Strongest position: Theres no question
its wide receiver. Even with the commitment to run the ball more, Roy Williams and
Calvin Johnson are top-drawer starters who
should put up big numbers, and their backups Mike Furrey and McDonald led
the team in receptions the past two years.
This season will be big for both Johnson,
MATT QUINNAN ( ST. CLAIR, FORTE)
Rookie to watch: Its got to be secondround draft pick Matt Fort, who has
inherited the starting RB job from the
departed Cedric Benson. Fort has been
impressive both on and off the field and
has proven to be much faster and quicker
than advertised. Dont expect him to be
caught from behind very often; daily team
observers believe Fort has better long
speed than fleet-footed backup Garrett
Wolfe.
Injury update: Williams is expected to
miss at least three months. Terrence Metcalf, who entered camp as the starting left
guard, underwent arthroscopic knee
surgery and is expected back in a couple of
weeks. Starting DT Dusty Dvoracek
missed most of camp with a calf injury, but
hes expected to be able to go full tilt in
Week One.
Strongest position: The Bears appear to
be in extremely good shape at linebacker.
With his spirits lifted by a hefty new contract extension, MLB Brian Urlacher had a
strong camp and looked healthy and
happy. Tackle machine Lance Briggs and
smart, steady Hunter Hillenmeyer are
rock-solid on the flanks, and the backups,
led by versatile Jamar Williams, also had
impressive camps for the most part.
Weakest position: Strong cases could
be made at both quarterback and wide
receiver, where the starting units remain
very much up in the air. But the offensive
line threatens to be a particularly weak
link, especially the left side, where it
remains to be seen how well St. Clair will
protect the blind side of either Kyle Orton
or Rex Grossman, and the personnel at left
guard appears ordinary at best.
telling litmus test.
coming off a quieter rookie season than most

expected, and Williams, who is in his contract year.
Weakest position: You almost could flip
a coin between linebacker and offensive
line, but because of the presence of LB
Ernie Sims, well peg the O-line. The team
could be starting a left tackle coming off his
worst season, an aging left guard, an undersized center, a retread right guard and a rookie right tackle. So far, the team has not established much push in the run game, although
the pass blocking has looked OK. Penalties
were an issue for first-round OT Gosder
Cherilus in the preseason opener.
Green Bay Packers

Veteran to watch: Its worth keeping a
close eye on fourth-year DL Michael Montgomery, who got his fair share of playing
time in camp as both an end, his natural position, in the base defense and at tackle in
passing situations. A hard worker with really
long arms, Montgomery looked like he
might have what it takes to fill the void left
by the trade of DT Corey Williams to Cleveland. Team insiders think Montgomery has
the potential to provide an inside pass rush
similar to the one Justin Tuck provided down
the stretch for the Giants last season.
Rookie to watch: Getting more of an
opportunity to showcase his abilities with
Jason Spitz moving to center to replace the
injured Scott Wells, fourth-round pick Josh
Sitton had a very strong camp, lining up
much of the time as the starting right guard.
Despite a weak effort in the preseason opener, Sitton appears to have a great shot at
being the starter at that position in Week
One. According to Packers DT Ryan Pickett,
Sitton is one of the better rookie guards Ive
ever seen just coming into the league.
Injury update: Wells (abdomen), DTs
Ryan Pickett (hamstring) and Johnny Jolly
(hip flexor), RB Ryan Grant (hamstring), CB
Al Harris (back) and DE Kabeer GbajaBiamila (knee) missed either most or all of
camp, but none of these players was considered seriously hurt, except for maybe GbajaBiamila, who has been slow to come back
from a knee scope. The most serious injury
on the team is the herniated disc suffered by
DT Justin Harrell the second week in April,
which has sidelined the former first-round
pick indefinitely. As of this writing, the team
was monitoring a late-developing chest
injury to starting OLB A.J. Hawk.
Strongest position: Few, if any, teams in
the league have as deep and as talented a cast
of wide receivers as the Packers, with Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones,
Ruvell Martin and rookie Jordy Nelson providing new starting QB Aaron Rodgers with
a host of inviting targets. Rodgers appears to
have developed a special chemistry with
Martin, who could become a bigger force in
the passing game this season.
Weakest position: There is cause for concern at defensive tackle, with Pickett, Jolly
and especially Harrell having been hindered
by injuries and Jolly also facing a possible
suspension after having been charged with
felony drug possession in mid-July. Depth
here could be a real problem, with neither
Daniel Muir nor Alfred Malone distinguishing himself in a backup role.
Minnesota Vikings
Veteran to watch: All eyes have been
focused on QB Tarvaris Jackson for most
of the offseason. He has shown improvement in several aspects of the game,
including accuracy, confidence and consistency, but he still struggles on the deeper
routes. Establishing a downfield passing
game will be paramount to force opposing
defenses not to stack extra men in the box
vs. the run. The team paid steeply for WR
Bernard Berrian, and although he and
Jackson have worked hard together all
summer, that relationship still is growing.

Rookie to watch: With FS Madieu
Williams out for up to six weeks with a
neck injury, top pick Tyrell Johnson gets
vaulted into the spotlight. He was expected to back up Darren Sharper and play a
big role on special teams, but now Johnson
must step in and show he can cover on the
back half on what has been a poor passdefending team.
Injury update: Brad Childress didnt
specify Williams injury, but it appears
hell miss at least two regular-season
games, which is a big blow. Jackson
reportedly sprained an MCL in the second
preseason game and may be held out until
Week One. CB Marcus McCauley (knee)
missed two weeks but has returned to the
field and looks fine. TE Garrett Mills
(sprained ankle) slowly is getting up to
playing speed but has missed valuable
time. DE Brian Robison, who had surgery
to repair a varicose vein, could be ready
for the opener. Dont sneeze at LB Heath
Farwells season-ending knee injury; he
was one of the top special-teams performers from a year ago.
Strongest position: Some are talking
about the Vikings defensive line as being
perhaps the best in franchise history, and
thats high praise for a team that fielded
the vaunted Purple People Eaters in the
1960s and 70s. So far, DE Jared Allen has
been as advertised: a true pass-rushing
beast with fast, strong hands who can
crank up the energy in a flash. And with
the tremendous DT combo of Kevin
Williams and Pat Williams, the line
provided DE Ray Edwards stays healthy
should be one of the best in the NFL.
Weakest position: The pass defense was
a major sore spot last season but was
expected to be roundly improved with the
additions of Allen, Williams and Johnson.
Thus far, it hasnt shown up. When the
front four hasnt generated a significant
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

pass rush, the back half has struggled in
coverage again. Even with some of the
vanilla, two-deep coverages the team used
early in the preseason, the defensive backs
are not breaking up passes or making more
plays as expected. There is an adjustment
period here, but if there is no improvement, the Vikings will not be the dominant
defense they expect to be.
Atlanta Falcons
Veteran to watch: First-year head coach
Mike Smith and offensive coordinator Mike

Mularkey came to Atlanta looking for nasty,
physical offensive linemen who could plow
through a defensive line, and they may have
found that kind of player in Harvey Dahl.
After bouncing around practice squads
since 2005, Dahl has risen up the depth
chart with the Falcons and could knock
longtime starter Kynan Forney out of a job
and perhaps off the team. Dahl is an intense
competitor, and if Forney doesnt beat him
out for the starting spot, he could be
released.
Rookie to watch: Michael Turner isnt the
only new running back in town. Sixth-round
pick Thomas Brown has been a pleasant
surprise and is in the midst of a heated battle with Jason Snelling to claim the No. 3
RB job. One factor that could help Brown
make the team is his versatility. Brown can
return kicks, while Snelling is solely a back.
Sources have likened Brown to the Giants
Ahmad Bradshaw, since they both fit the
undersized, scatback mold.
Injury update: Backup C Alex Stepanovich is out nursing a back injury. Veteran ORT Todd Weiner is coming off knee
surgery and has been medically cleared to
practice, but the Falcons are being cautious
with him. DE John Abraham, CB Chris
Houston and WR Joe Horn were held out of
the second preseason game with various
injuries, but they arent believed to be serious.
Strongest position: With QB Matt Ryan
likely to take over the offense sooner rather
than later, the Falcons running game will
become an even greater component of the
offense in order to take some pressure off
the rookie. Atlanta has depth at the position
with the powerful Turner and blazing-fast
Jerious Norwood serving as what should be
an effective 1-2 punch. Brown is an intriguing option as the No. 3 back and has the elusiveness and speed to come up with some
big plays.
Weakest position: While the running
game should be an asset for the Falcons
quarterbacks, their tight ends could be an
area of major weakness. Sources at
Atlantas camp have been extremely unimpressed with what theyve seen from the
teams top two tight ends, Ben Hartsock and
Martrez Milner. The pair does a decent job
of blocking, but there are major deficiencies
when it comes to receiving. Whoever wins
the starting job in the battle between Ryan
and Chris Redman will be looking away
from the tight ends as he drops back to pass.
Carolina Panthers
Veteran to watch: The Panthers have
rotated some parts on defense, switching

Thomas Davis, the strong-side backer last
season, to the weak side, and sources say the
change seems to have suited him well. Davis
transitioned from safety to linebacker after
Carolina drafted him, and entering his fourth
season, he might be ready for a breakout season at a new position.
Rookie to watch: RB Jonathan Stewart has
impressed head coach John Fox so much that
HARRY SCULL JR.
2008 PRESEASON
28
Surprise: Falcons RB Thomas Brown has excelled
Fox seriously is contemplating breaking his

golden rule of playing veterans over youngsters. Stewart is playing through a sore big
toe, which was operated on in March, but
sources say he still has an edge on third-year
veteran RB DeAngelo Williams in the backfield battle for carries.
Injury update: As of this writing, the Panthers have been pretty fortunate avoiding any
long-term losses to key players. They have
not completely dodged the injury bug, however. WR Steve Smith has missed time after
suffering a concussion in the first preseason
game. Backup DT Ian Scott suffered a
sprained MCL, but he should report back to
practice later this month. CB Ken Lucas
missed two weeks of practice with a broken
nose, which required surgery. The injury
occurred when Smith punched him during a
brawl on the sideline during practice. Lucas
recently returned to practice. WR-KR Ryne
Robinson strained his MCL and PCL and
should return in another 2-3 weeks.
Strongest position: Sources say the Panthers LB corps is deep enough that they
have two high-caliber units. The starting
lineup of MLB Jon Beason, SLB Nail Diggs
and WLB Thomas Davis is tough, athletic
and experienced. Top backups Adam
Seward, Landon Johnson and rookie Dan
Connor all will compete for playing time in
the rotation, and each could become a significant contributor. This group will have to
perform, especially against the run, where
Carolina could be vulnerable because of a
weak collection of defensive tackles.
Weakest position: There is a major void
to fill following the offseason trade of DT
Kris Jenkins to the Jets. Jenkins was highly
scrutinized during his tenure in Carolina
while he struggled to keep his weight down,
but he was an effective force on the D-lines
interior. The new starting tandem of
Damione Lewis and Maake Kemoeatu is a
major question mark and could struggle to
slow down the oppositions ground game.
Carolina is relying on veteran backups Ian
Scott, Darwin Walker and Gary Gibson to
bring some prowess off the bench.
New Orleans Saints

Veteran to watch: The upcoming season
is viewed as a make-or-break year for Reggie
Bush, according to sources in New Orleans.
AUGUST 26, 2007
Bush is entering his third season and showed

signs of maturity in the offseason when he
decided to stay in town and work out with his
teammates rather than go back to the West
Coast, as he had done before. Bush proved
he can be an electrifying player late in his
rookie year, but he took a major step back
last season. Everyones watching to see if
Bush will be a bust in 08.
Rookie to watch: One of the biggest surprises in camp has been the emergence of
Carl Nicks, a fifth-round pick from Nebraska. He has taken reps at guard and tackle but
seems to have made the biggest impact at left
guard, where he could give starter Jamar
Nesbit some unexpected competition. Nesbit
isnt in danger of losing his job quite yet, but
he looks much more vulnerable than he did
before camp opened.
Injury update: Several key members of the
Saints are on the mend and easing their way
back onto the field. Deuce McAllister
(knee), Jonathan Vilma (knee), Jeremy
Shockey (leg) and Mike McKenzie (knee) all
are coming off serious injuries they sustained
last season, but sources say theyre all on
track to play in the opener Sept. 7 against the
Bucs. McKenzie, who suffered a torn ACL
late last season, is the least advanced of the
group in terms of rehab. Rookie WR Adrian
Arrington has been slowed by a bad case of
turf toe. DT Hollis Thomas will be out for
two months with a right triceps injury.
Strongest position: Although they dont
have much depth at the position, the Saints
are strongest at quarterback because of Drew
Brees. Hes the unquestioned MVP and
leader of the team and could be poised for an
even better season than the last two with a
new weapon to utilize in Shockey. The sudden emergence of WR Robert Meachem also
could lead to gaudier numbers for Brees this
season. The Saints will go as Brees goes.
Weakest position: The Saints added depth
to their CB corps in the offseason, but its
unknown as to whether that can help offset
the futility it displayed last season. Their best
corner, McKenzie, is still slowed as he
recovers from a torn ACL, which could
become a major concern if he takes longer
than expected to reach full strength. Sources
say free-agent addition Randall Gay has
been impressive in camp thus far, and second-year veteran Usama Young has shown
improvement, but no one has asserted himself enough to knock the disappointing Jason
David out of the starting lineup yet.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Veteran to watch: Head coach Jon Gruden
jokingly referred to WR Joey Galloway as

the white tiger recently because he has
been such a rare sight in camp. In a weak
receiver corps, Galloway is the unquestioned
No. 1 target, but he has been out of practice
with a strained groin. He very well could
miss the entire preseason and not take a hit
until Week One. The Bucs have rested Galloway in prior years during camp, but they
seem to be taking it to the extreme this time.
Theres little doubt Galloway, who had offseason shoulder surgery, will be prepared,
but Tampa Bay might not find out for sure
until the season is under way.
Rookie to watch: There hasnt been much
good news about first-round pick Aqib Talib
since he joined the Bucs this spring, as his
many off-field incidents, including a fight
with teammate Cory Boyd at the rookie symposium and a missed flight to visit the Hall
of Fame, have been widely reported. Theres
no doubt Talib has the talent to be a difference maker, but hell have to be monitored
closely to make sure he stays out of trouble.
Injury update: Galloway has been relegated to individual workouts thus far and has
not been able to join the team in drills yet as
he deals with a groin injury. QB Jeff Garcia
has been limited by a calf strain, which kept

him out of nine straight days of practice.
Hes returned to the field, but the soreness
still lingers.
Strongest position: The Bucs have a pair
of budding Pro Bowlers in FS Tanard Jackson and SS Jermaine Phillips, but a third
safety is stealing the show in camp. Secondyear man Sabby Piscitelli missed the final 13
games of last season with a broken bone in
his foot, but he has rebounded and looks
sharp. Hes not a threat to take a job from
Jackson or Phillips, but the Bucs can rest a
bit easier knowing they may have another
dependable safety in case a starter goes down
with an injury.
Weakest position: After Galloway, it gets
pretty thin for the Bucs at receiver. The competition to get into the rotation as a No. 2
behind Galloway has been wide open, but no
one from a group consisting of Michael
Clayton, Maurice Stovall, Antonio Bryant
and last years starter, Ike Hilliard, has
stepped up to this point. To top it off, Galloways groin injury has to be somewhat of a
concern for Gruden.
Arizona Cardinals
Veteran to watch: After he never quite
lived up to expectations at cornerback,
theres strong reason to believe former firstround draft pick Antrel Rolle can become a
very good free safety at the pro level. By all
accounts, Rolle has made a smooth transition
to a position for which he appears perfectly
suited with his strong open-field tackling
ability and playmaking skills. Rolle will continue to line up at cornerback in nickel situations, a role he handled extremely well in
2007.
Rookie to watch: Fifth-round RB Tim
Hightower looked good enough in camp to
seal the fate of veteran back Marcel Shipp.
Hightowers one-cut, downhill running style
provides a nice change of pace to starter
Edgerrin James, who is more of a hunt-andpeck runner. Hightower also has displayed
good hands out of the backfield. Dont be
surprised if he spells James to the tune of
about 5-10 carries per game.
Injury update: Starting C Al Johnson, who
is out after undergoing surgery on the same
left knee that was operated on in May, is
expected back by Week Two at the latest. NT
Gabe Watson, who fractured a kneecap in an
offseason treadmill mishap, should be back
by the end of August. Backup LB Monty
Beisel (back) and rookie WR Early Doucet
(hamstring) were about a week away from
returning to practice at this writing.
Strongest position: With veterans Chike
Okeafor and Bertrand Berry looking fully
recovered from the injuries that prematurely
ended their 2007 campaigns, the two outside
linebacker spots in the teams preferred 3-4
defense look particularly strong. Veteran
newcomers Clark Haggans and Travis
LaBoy provide quality depth behind Okeafor
and Berry, respectively, and should see plenty of playing time.
Weakest position: Offensive tackle. Veteran Mike Gandy and 2007 first-round pick
Levi Brown are serviceable starters on the
left and right sides, respectively, but there is
a scary lack of depth behind them. Rookie
Brandon Keith was making his presence felt
as a backup right tackle, but he has moved to
left guard for the time being to replace
injured backup Carlton Medder (fractured
left elbow).
St. Louis Rams

Veteran to watch: The Rams badly need
the rust to wear off veteran OLT Orlando
Pace, who was lost in Week One last season

with a torn rotator cuff and a torn labrum in
his right shoulder. Pace, who has played only
nine games the past two seasons due to
injuries, didnt fare too well in the preseason
opener matched up against Titans DE Kyle
Vanden Bosch and still looks far from regaining the form that produced seven Pro Bowl
berths. Team insiders believe Paces problems are more mental than physical at this
stage, as he struggles to get back into football
shape.
Rookie to watch: Put simply, DE Chris
Long, the second overall pick in the 2008
draft, has looked like a rookie. Despite being
on the field a lot in the preseason opener,
Long registered only one tackle and looked
like he was really pressing. As much as anything, the consensus seems to be that Long
just needs to start making some plays to bolster his confidence.
Injury update: The secondary suffered a
costly blow when promising rookie CB
Justin King was lost for the season after tearing a ligament in his left big toe in the preseason opener. Starting CB Fakhir Brown
has been out since the first weekend of camp
with a torn rotator cuff and is questionable
for the regular-season opener. TE Anthony
Becht remains day-to-day with a nagging
hamstring injury. Backup OG Mark Setterstrom fractured his left kneecap, and backup
OT Brandon Gorin suffered a partially torn
rotator cuff, with both players expected to be
placed on injured reserve.
Strongest position: Despite the fact Long
hasnt been very impressive initially, the
defensive line still figures to be a team
strength. Veteran DLE Leonard Little looks
fully recovered from the toe injury that limited him to only seven games last season, and
fellow DEs James Hall and Victor Adeyanju
and veteran DT LaRoi Glover all had particularly strong camps. With 2007 first-round
pick Adam Carriker and promising secondyear DT Clifton Ryan added to the mix, the
Rams still think they have the makings of a
very solid front line, even though it struggled
mightily in the preseason opener.
Weakest position: Safeties have been in
short supply for the Rams. Starting FS O.J.
Atogwe missed much of camp with a hamstring injury, and injuries to backups Jerome
Carter (groin) and Eric Bassey (neck) hardly
helped matters. The lack of a proven fourth
safety behind Atogwe, aging SS Corey
Chavous and Todd Johnson could be a problem with no easy solution.
San Francisco 49ers

Veteran to watch: Spending more time at
outside linebacker than defensive end the
position he primarily played the previous
seven seasons in Cincinnati newcomer
Justin Smith is being counted on to bolster
the teams pass rush, whether its the result of
more sacks from him directly or the opportunities his imposing presence opens up for
other players such as Manny Lawson and
Ray McDonald. Amazingly strong for his
size, Smith did everything well in camp and
displayed a great nose for the ball.
Rookie to watch: If the Niners ever could
settle on a starting quarterback, sixth-round
WR Josh Morgan just might turn out to be
another Marques Colston in the making.
Most camp observers agree that Morgan
might have been the offenses lone bright
spot with his crisp route running and total
fearlessness over the middle. A 220-pound
physical specimen who runs a sub-4.5 40time, Morgan has earned himself a legitimate
shot at cracking the starting lineup.
Injury update: Projected starting ORG
David Baas, who tore his right pectoral muscle lifting weights in April, may be ready in
time for the season opener. Backup RB
Michael Robinson (knee) was a week or so
away from returning to action as of this writ-
ing. WRs Bryant Johnson and Arnaz Battle

(hamstrings) and Ashley Lelie (calf) have
been limited by nagging injuries.
Strongest position: Spearheaded by the
always-energetic Nate Clements, who never
stops chirping and providing direction from
the left corner, the Niners secondary looks
like a cohesive unit. On seemingly every play
in camp, the entire secondary was always
fighting to get to the ball, flying around in a
frenzy with the intention of making a play.
RCB Walt Harris and safeties Michael Lewis
and Mark Roman round out a solid starting
group, with veteran Shawntae Spencer and
promising youngsters Dashon Goldson and
Reggie Smith providing depth.
Weakest position: After a strong performance in the Niners second preseason game
vs. Green Bay, it appears longtime journeyman J.T. OSullivan has gained an edge in
the battle for the starting QB job. But OSullivans track record hardly inspires confidence at a position that could feature a lot of
gear shifting as the 08 season progresses.
Seattle Seahawks
Veteran to watch: Theres a gaping hole
in the middle of the offensive line courtesy
of fourth-year C Chris Spencer, a virtual
nonfactor in camp due to back spasms.
Spencers inability to get on the field has
kept him from making badly needed
progress in making the pre-snap calls on the
line, which was a particular problem last
season. Steve Vallos did a surprisingly good
job in place of Spencer in the preseason
opener, but hes an unproven commodity.
Rookie to watch: Elevated to the first unit
in camp with Patrick Kerney spending most
of his time nursing a calf injury, first-round
pick Lawrence Jackson just keeps looking
better and better, making one eyebrow-raising play after another. At the very least, the
versatile Jackson is expected to be a starting
tackle in the teams nickel defense. It could
only be a matter of time before Jackson
replaces Darryl Tapp as the starting right
end because of his superior skills in stopping the run.
Injury update: In addition to Spencer, the
most noteworthy injury victims are WRs
Bobby Engram, who is expected to miss 68 weeks with a cracked bone in his right
shoulder, and Deion Branch, who continues
to recover from offseason knee surgery and
appears to be a long shot for the season
opener, even though head coach Mike
Holmgren keeps saying he expects Branch
to be available for Week One. Kerney, ORT
Sean Locklear (knee) and promising rookie
DT Red Bryant (knee) are expected to be
fully recovered in time for the regular season.
Strongest position: While the starting LB
corps of Julian Peterson, Lofa Tatupu and
the extremely underrated Leroy Hill is
arguably the leagues best, the Seahawks
secondary is the strongest area on the team
due to its impressive depth. Operating
behind the quality starting group of CBs
Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings and
safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell are
playmaking specialist Jordan Babineaux,
up-and-comer Kevin Hobbs, Josh Wilson,
C.J. Wallace and undrafted rookie Jamar
Adams, who could get robbed of a deserved
roster spot because of the teams need to
carry extra receivers.
Weakest position: With Engram and
Branch out of the mix, Nate Burleson is the
only wide receiver with any real experience,
and his consistency still leaves a lot to be
desired. The other receivers being counted
on for the time being Courtney Taylor,
Ben Obomanu, Logan Payne, Jordan Kent
and possibly rookie Michael Bumpus
have a combined 17 receptions at the pro
level.
2008 PRESEASON
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
AUGUST 26, 2007
29
CFLs QB carousel
keeps spinning
By RICK MATSUMOTO
For a number of years, there has been
a familiarity to the cadences barked out
by the quarterbacks around the Canadian Football League.
This season, however, there has been a
fresh sound to those voices, as a number
of talented young signalcallers have
been given an opportunity to strut their
stuff.
Future Hall of Fame inductees Damon
Allen and Dave Dickenson have stepped
aside, and even two of the top
candidates for last years Most
Outstanding Player Award,
INSIDE
Kerry Joseph and Kevin Glenn,
found themselves in different
roles this season.
In their places have stepped
less recognizable names such as Jarious
Jackson, Ryan Dinwiddie, Richie
Williams, Darian Durant and Steve
Jyles.
Montreal Alouettes QB Anthony
Calvillo, Calgary Stampeders QB Henry
Burris and Edmonton Eskimos QB
Ricky Ray are the only starters who
remain at the helm of the offenses they
guided at the start of the 2007 season.
The 44-year-old Allen, a 22-year veteran who played for six different CFL
clubs, finally called it quits when the
Toronto Argonauts obtained Joseph in a
trade with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Despite leading Saskatchewan to its
first Grey Cup victory in 18 years and
being named the CFLs Most Outstanding Player, Joseph was released by the
Roughriders, who decided against giving him a substantial raise. So off he
went to Toronto, where he took over the
starters role ahead of Michael Bishop,
who won 11 games last season after
stepping in for the injured Allen.
Meanwhile, back in Regina, the
Roughriders handed their starting job to
veteran Marcus Crandell, who had been
a backup since his last starting assignment with Calgary in 2002. The
34-year-old Crandell got off to an
excellent start,
leading the Riders to wins in
their first two
games of the season.
When Crandell
went down with a
hamstring injury
in the third game Marcus Crandell
of the season, in
stepped Durant,
the former North Carolina star who had
spent two years as the No. 3 QB behind
Joseph and Crandell. Durant led the Riders to two wins before he, too, was sidelined with an injury.
In came Jyles, who had spent two
years with the Eskimos as their third
quarterback before being dealt to the
Riders. He also showed he could get the
job done as he guided the Riders to their
fifth consecutive win.
Crandell finally returned for
Saskatchewans sixth contest and led the
Riders to yet another win, but their winning streak ended the following game
with a 30-25 loss to Calgary.

While the Riders were enjoying their
winning streak, their opponents in last
years Grey Cup game, the Winnipeg
Blue Bombers, were headed in the opposite direction. Winnipeg won only one of
its first seven games, scoring fewer
points than any other club in that span.
Glenn, who was the East Divisions
Most Outstanding Player candidate last
season before losing to Joseph in the
final balloting, got off to a miserable
start, throwing a league-high eight interceptions in the first four games
before being yanked in favor of
THE Dinwiddie.
Dinwiddie, who had been
thrust into the starters job in
last years Grey Cup game
when Glenn broke his left arm
in the East final, brought temporary
hope to the Bombers when he led his
team to a win at Calgary. The elation
was short-lived, however, when his inexperience showed against the swarming
Toronto defense in a loss to the Argos.
That was followed by a second consecutive loss, this at the hands of the
Alouettes, which led Bombers head
coach Doug Berry to put Glenn back
into the lineup in the fourth quarter.
Glenn has regained the starting job for
the time being, but Dinwiddie could get
another shot if Glenn struggles.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, again having problems keeping up in the East,
appeared to be sailing further into dire
straits when QB Casey Printers damaged
the thumb on his throwing hand. However, Williams, another third-year quarterback, took over. After a solid performance in a loss to Montreal, Williams
ran and threw the Ticats to a 45-21 rout
of arch-rival Toronto.
Williams performance could pose an
interesting problem for head coach
Charlie Taaffe. With Printers ready to
return to action, will Taaffe stay with
Williams or give the job back to Printers, who returned to the CFL last year
after a two-year stint with Kansas City
Chiefs?
In Vancouver, B.C. Lions fans were
getting a little restless after the Lions
35-24 loss to the Eskimos on July 31.
However, head coach Wally Buono was
more concerned with his porous defense
than with the play of Jackson, who
stepped into the starting role last season
after Dickenson suffered his third concussion in two years and spent the rest of
the 07 season on the sideline.
The Lions bounced back to beat
Edmonton 40-34 on Aug. 8, but Jackson,
who formerly played at Notre Dame and
with the Denver Broncos, was yanked in
favor of Buck Pierce, who started the
season opener, when he threw an interception late in the game.
However, Buono promptly declared
that Jackson would be his starter vs. Calgary on Aug. 22. He also made it clear
Jackson would retain that position only
if he played well.
Hes going to learn to manage the
game, or hes going to be watching the
game with me (on the sideline), Buono
said.
And then yet another name could be
added to the list of new starting quarterbacks.
CFL
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
30
AUGUST 24, 2008
SHIPPING OUT:
Sadly, it looks like the Bills days in Buffalo are numbered
JERRY MAGEE
m worried about the Buffalo Bills. How about you? No?

A pity. Buffalo gets no respect, which it should. It is my
kind of place, a good, earthy community where folks
wear blue collars and have an abiding allegiance to pro
football, the Bills in particular.
To me, as a football venue, there is no precinct that rivals
Green Bay, but I would put Buffalo way up there. I would
put Los Angeles last, but thats another topic.
I bring this up because I have been talking to Jim Phillips,
who is a leading light in the San Diego chapter of the Buffalo Bills Fan Club. (Yes, there is one.) Phillips is a native of
Niagara Falls, N.Y., a former U.S. Marine, a San Diego
restaurateur and a chap who is four-square for the Bills. He
holds season tickets for the Bills games. Good seats, too,
he said.
When the team begins its season on Sept. 7 against Seattle, Phillips plans to be there in Ralph Wilson Stadium. You
know those homes around the stadium? Phillips questioned.
I have a friend who lives in one. When I can be there for
games, I stay with him. When I cant, I tell him to give my
tickets to servicemen.
The time may be coming, however, that One Bills Drive
off Abbott Road in Orchard Park no longer will be the clubs
address. Yeah, said Phillips, more than a few of us believe
that. It started on the Internet. A lot of Bills people keep in
touch.
What they have decided, according to Phillips, is that the
Bills are destined to be doing business in Toronto, where
they are scheduled to offer a preseason game every other
year and a regular-season game during each of the next five
years.
Toronto wants an NFL franchise, and it feels its best shot
is to go after the one in Buffalo, Phillips said. Toronto has
the Rogers Centre, formerly the SkyDome. It also has an
economy that is considerably more robust than the one in

Buffalo.
People back there (Buffalo) dont have a lot of spendable
income, Phillips said. There is a shrinking demographic.
The Buffalo community would seem to be rallying in an
attempt to demonstrate that the Bills belong where they have
been since the American Football Leagues founding season
in 1960. The team has sold 55,000 season tickets, by
Phillips count, the most since 1994.
But Ralph Wilson Jr., the clubs owner and president, is in
the 49th year of his association with the franchise. Wilson is
89. In October, he will be 90. Wilson has a daughter, Linda
Bogdan, who is a vice president/assistant director of college
and pro scouting for the Bills, but Bogdan, a resident of
Englewood, N.J., has indicated she has no interest in assuming an ownership role with the club.
I trust it wont be soon, having had many contacts with
Wilson, a vigorous individual who has been nationally
ranked as an age-group tennis player, but one day, his heirs
could sell the franchise to Toronto interests.
Just how successful an NFL franchise would be in Toronto
came into question when the Bills presented themselves
there on Aug. 14 for a preseason exercise against the Steelers, who were defeated 24-21 by the homestanding Bills.
The announced crowd was 48,434, but no more than 33,000
tickets were sold at face value, according to reports.
The Toronto Star said that in the moments before the kickoff, tickets with a face value of $300 were being sold by
scalpers for $20 or less. A bit of an embarrassment for
Toronto, said one visitor to a Bills Web site.
It could be that Canadians have not accepted the quaint
American custom of pricing preseason games at regular-season prices. Rogers Communications, which is big in cell
phones in Ontario, is being charged with having done a poor
job of marketing the Bills appearance.

The team is to return to Toronto on Dec. 7 to engage the
Miami Dolphins in a game that counts.
The NFL, it should be noted, historically has done nothing
that would limit the sovereignty of the Canadian Football
League. In his state of the league remarks prior to Super
Bowl XLII, commissioner Roger Goodell said the Bills
dates in Canada are meant to allow the NFL team to market
itself more successfully.
I think this will be great for all fans, Goodell said. It
will give the people of Toronto an opportunity to have a
game in their market, and it will give the Bills fans a chance
to still go to the game. As far as the CFL, it is very important
to us. We have always had a very strong relationship with
them.
Ours, Mr. Goodell, is a culture founded on brand names.
In sports, there is none that carries the weight of the NFL. To
have NFL games in Toronto can only diminish the CFL. Any
other position is specious.
Buffalo, I will admit, is easy to deride with its difficult
winters. When he was coaching the Cleveland Browns, Sam
Rutigliano said of it, Its not the end of the world, but you
can see it from there. How unkind. As for me, I have
enjoyed the colonial villages around Orchard Park and the
people, hardy folk who keep showing up for Bills games no
matter what the weather.
On my last visit to Buffalo, the gas line on my rental car
froze and the rental company had to send me another vehicle. It was a Sunday, a game day. They had a fine crowd, as I
recall. They would. I want the Bills to stay put.
Jerry Magee has covered pro football for the San Diego
Union-Tribune since 1961 and for PFW since its inception in
1967.
JUST LIKE OLD TIMES:
Olbermann-Patrick reunion should conjure magic again
BARRY JACKSON
RADIO-TV
an Patrick and Keith Olbermann

already have figured out how they will
divide highlights on NBCs pregame
show this season.
I will be doing the highlights for the red
states; Keith will be doing the highlights for
the blue states, Patrick joked.
Sequels and reunions sometimes do not
match the quality of the original, but the
sense here is that Patrick and Olbermann will
replicate the unique chemistry and comedy
they served up nightly when they anchored
ESPNs SportsCenter from 1992-97.
NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol wanted to hire Patrick and Olbermann before last
season but could only add Olbermann. ESPN
had the contractual right to block Patrick
from taking an NFL TV job last season, even
though Patrick already had left ESPN. But
those contractual restrictions end in a couple
of weeks (Sept. 1).
This was something Id been hoping to
do for quite some time when I left ESPN
I wanted to do TV with Keith eventually
again, Patrick said.
Patrick said NBCs Bob Costas suggested
a Patrick-Olbermann reunion to both Patrick
and Ebersol, even though the move means
less responsibility for Costas on Football
Night in America.
Bob will do fewer highlights, (but) he is
not ever opposed to having more people
around if it makes the show better, Ebersol
said. Costas never has counted lines in his
life. He was pushing for this idea more than
15 months ago.
And Patrick said, Having Bob signing off
on it was very important.

The Olbermann-Patrick pairing ended on
ESPN 11 years ago when Olbermann left
for Fox. He now does a news show for
MSNBC.
When Keith left, I said, Youll never get
this again, Patrick said.
We never tried to understand why it
worked. It just did. He was a great team
player. We challenged each other.
Olbermann said when they worked together, there was an intent by him to crack me
up or me to crack him up. As long we kept
that undercurrent going, we knew it would
be entertaining for the audience. Nobody
was as competitive as Dan was in that area.
He cannot be topped. When we worked
together, we were as good as any five people
in the business.
The only negative: Seven hosts/commentators on a pregame show is obviously
excessive. (The others, besides Patrick and
Olbermann, are Costas, Cris Collinsworth,
Tiki Barber, Jerome Bettis and Peter King.)
If there were any more people in the studio,
NBC would be violating fire-code laws.
My major concern was we didnt have
enough people on the show last year, Olbermann cracked. We really needed that 19th
guy.
Ebersol isnt worried. Highlights will be
Dan and Keith. They will do the highlights
straight through (from 7:15 p.m.) until 8,
with the exception of one (package) that Bob
and Cris do. There will be nobody going to
the locker room during the show. All the
mikes will be left open.
AROUND THE DIAL
Emmitt Smith, who found new and creative ways to butcher the language throughout his first year on ESPN, will be replaced
by Cris Carter on Sunday Countdown this
season. Smith will move to a lower-profile
role on Sunday-morning editions of SportsCenter but will keep his gig as an on-site
studio analyst from the Monday-night games
with Stuart Scott and Steve Young. Also,
Carter will succeed Dolphins executive Bill
Parcells on Monday Countdown.
Fox will pair former Ravens coach
Brian Billick with Thom Brennaman on
games this season, but Billick will join other
announcing teams for three-man booths at
times. All of Foxs other announcing teams
return intact.
As part of a one-year experiment, all of
NBCs regular-season games (16 Sunday
nights, one Thursday night) will be streamed
live on nfl.com and nbcsports.com.
Kudos to Foxs Jay Glazer for breaking
the Brett Favre-to-the-Jets trade his latest
in a long list of scoops the past year. With
the Favre trade, ESPNs Week Three JetsChargers game suddenly looks a lot more
interesting. The Jets only other definite
national TV game is Nov. 13 vs. the Patriots
on NFL Network.
NFL Network president Steve Bornstein
said the channel will start its eight-game
schedule on the first Thursday of November,
instead of Thanksgiving night, because it
stretches out the opportunity to be highly
visible.
There will be seven Thursday-night games
(two more than last year) and only one Saturday-night game (Ravens at Cowboys on
Dec. 20). We like Thursday because it gives
us a chance to preview the entire week of
games coming up, he said.
Bornstein was pleased with the hiring
of Giants radio voice Bob Papa as Bryant
Gumbels replacement on play-by-play:
Hes an accomplished announcer, and his
profile in New York has always been a successful one.
Said Collinsworth: It will be a different
dynamic now. Bob lives the minutiae the
way I do. We will get into discussions of
whats going on in the league.
HBOs Hard Knocks has held our
attention early on with several interesting
fly-on-the-wall moments Jerry Jones
explaining why the Cowboys were cutting
Terry Glenn; Jason Garrett explaining to
Jones on Draft Day why they should select
RB Felix Jones instead of Rashard Mendenhall; and Cowboys coaches expressing concern with rookie TE Martellus Bennetts
body language. But HBO acted unethically
in airing a conversation between Jones and
Glenns agent, James Gould, without telling
Gould he was being taped. I had no
advance knowledge I would be taped and am
very unhappy about it, Gould said by
phone, adding he still has high regard for
the Cowboys owner. We also saw Adam
Jones somehow catch a punted ball while
holding five others at the same time.
Barry Jackson covers sports broadcasting
for the Miami Herald.
AUGUST 24, 2008
WWHI
sive line for a long time and there
would be a huge void in terms of
leadership and knowledge of the
offense if he cant get over this ailment. That makes the Broncos feel
all the more fortunate for having
signed C Casey Wiegmann in the
offseason. Wiegmann is one of the
leagues true iron men, having
started all but one game since
2001. Word is he has adjusted well
to Denvers zone scheme and
there shouldnt be a huge drop-off
in production if Nalens unable to
play by Week One.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Like many NFL players, Chargers PK Nate Kaeding is an avid
golfer. But unlike most players,
Kaeding is using his golf coach to
help improve his football skills. We
hear that the kicker spent this offseason working with his coach on
exercises that will help him in both
sports. Since the golf swing is similar to the leg motion in kicking,
Kaeding worked on developing a good, consistent
tempo that will allow him to
boot the ball powerfully yet
accurately. He also spent a
lot of time focusing on the
mental aspect of each activity,
because so much of both placekicking and golf is between the
ears. So far, Kaedings extra work
has paid off. He said that this is
the best he has ever felt entering a
season, and hes already showing
off his newfound leg strength, easily drilling a 53-yard field goal in
San Diegos first preseason contest. Kaeding proved last season
that he is physically tough he
spent the last five games kicking
with a broken plant leg and now
hes hoping to add the mental
toughness that all the best at his
position seem to have.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
Kansas Citys coaching staff has

made it a point to develop another
player at the position, and Thigpen just happened to be the
young QB it had on the roster. His
performance in training camp has
not been anything spectacular,
but, since he has been running
the second-team offense while
Damon Huard sits on the bench,
the Chiefs are giving the appearance that Thigpen is beating out
the veteran. Truth is, the team
hasnt really allowed the 35-yearold Huard a chance to earn playing time, even though he might
give them the best shot to win.
Instead, it has kept Huard on the
sideline and has determined that
Thigpen, 24, is its Plan B at the
most important position, whether
or not the youngster is ready to
two practices just before camp

closed Aug. 13. The seventh-year
veteran looks like he's back in
shape after showing up at camp
overweight, and his overall mindset
appears to have improved. However, Kiffin changed his tone again in
an Aug. 16 conference call with the
team's media, and said Walker
needs to start playing up to the $55
million contract he received in the
offseason. Walker was ineffective
and didn't have a single catch in
Oakland's second preseason contest. The Raiders, who have a very
inexperienced receiver corps, are
counting on him to be an explosive
force in the passing game.
shoulder that burden.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Something seemed to have
clicked with Raiders WR Javon
Walker just as camp wrapped up,
the way we hear it, but he still has
a great deal of work to do before
he gets in the good graces of head
coach Lane Kiffin. Walker
was challenged early in
camp by Kiffin as the freeagent acquisition struggled
and came nowhere near the
high expectations Oakland
had for him. Then word came from
Walker that he strongly had considered retirement and wanted to
return his bonus money, until owner
Al Davis convinced him to work
through his fatigue. Walker finally
responded, coming up with his best
N F C lE A S T
Safety position is
becoming a little more
clear for Giants
EVAN PINKUS / GETTY IMAGES
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

For all the hype that Chiefs QB
Tyler Thigpen has received in the
preseason, youd think he was the
next big thing at quarterback. But the way we hear
it, Thigpen did not necessarily earn the backup job
as much as he was forced
into it by the clubs brass.
Not convinced that Brodie Croyle
is their quarterback of the future,
Looking good: Rookie Kenny Phillips is on pace to earn the starting FS job
HANDICAPPING
Get all the facts, then follow the HOT HAND

For the third year in a row, ProFootballWeekly.com is offering a premium online service that provides the best in handicapping information on the upcoming weeks games.
As a member of the Handicapping Inner Circle, youll see the selections of each of
the nine PFW editors for every regular-season and playoff game, along with their best
bets, as early as Monday evening. Youll have access to everything from the Handicappers Corner page of our print edition, including series records, Opponents vs. the
spread and Fast fact.
The Handicapping Inner Circle also provides the picks of the three experts on the
PFW television show Hall of Famer Dan Hampton, former Chicago Bears WR Tom
Waddle and PFW publisher/editor Hub Arkush. They pick every game except those
31
Based on the outstanding performance of first-rounder Kenny

Phillips to this point, he is the
odds-on favorite to win the starting
free safety spot, despite a pretty
nice camp by second-year man
Michael Johnson. At strong safety, James Butler, who started 12
games a season ago, has worked
with the first team for most
of camp and appears to be
the lead candidate there.
Butler relied a lot on Gibril
Wilson, who left for the
Raiders, last season and
now has a greater responsibility if
he lines up next to Phillips, a rookie, in the starting lineup. Butler told
PFW this week that in order to
improve on his performance last
season, he needed to improve his
reads and better learn to preserve
his body for the rigors of a full season. I wasnt healthy for most of
the year, he said. So staying
healthy is a big factor for me. And
there were times where I was in a
position to make plays but I needed to get [to the ball] faster. It
comes down to going through my
reads faster, getting back in coverage and reading the quarterback a
little bit quicker. On Phillips, Butler
said the rookie has shown a lot of
flashes. Hes going to be a good
safety in the league. He definitely
has a lot of range, hes a smart
guy, and hes humble.
DALLAS COWBOYS
many fronts, mostly about the poor

performances by the second-team
players. And that was especially
clear at quarterback, where Brad
Johnson confirmed what many
have said for a while. Despite
Johnsons experience and
Super Bowl-winning pedigree, his lack of arm
strength has been painfully
obvious. Johnson got more
first-team reps in practice
last week and played fairly well in
the loss to the Broncos last Saturday. But we hear that the team
already has done its homework on
Buccaneers QB Chris Simms,
who is expected to be playing
elsewhere this season, and has
done some scouting on Dolphins
QBs John Beck and Josh
McCown, at least one of whom
will be cut. Despite reports that the
Cowboys liked Beck coming out of
Brigham Young in 2006, we hear
the scouting staff headed at the
time by current Dolphins GM Jeff
Ireland wasnt all that wild
about him.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Fans and media have spent
hours contemplating the potential
impact of free-agent CB Asante
Samuel to the Eagles defense, but
team officials clearly felt that DE
Chris Clemons, the teams other
major free-agent addition this offseason, would be a big factor in
returning the unit to prominence. So far, Clemons has
done little. He got off to a
slow start in camp, suffering
from dehydration and
spending two days in the
hospital. But since returning and
being cleared to practice, Clemons
hasnt shown up much in a positive
way. He not only has struggled to
pick up coordinator Jim Johnsons
scheme, but he also has struggled
in one-on-one drills, getting beaten
by backup O-linemen such as Winston Justice, and is limping now
with a strained right calf injury.
Johnson admitted that Clemons is
still thinking too much, instead of
just going out and playing, but said
he expects Clemons to improve.
For now, Juqua Parker (formerly
known as Juqua Thomas) remains
the starter at left end, but the
Eagles will continue to monitor the
health of Victor Abiamiri, who had
surgery to repair his wrist during
The preseason-opening loss to

the Chargers was revealing on
CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
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32
camp and could miss as much as

3-4 months. If they think he can
return sooner, Abiamiri might maintain a spot on the active roster,
even if he has to miss some regular-season games, given the uncertainty with Clemons and the teams
preference to rotate several linemen.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Its a popular story these days in
Washington, but the arrival of DLE
Jason Taylor has been nothing
but positive thus far. He has established himself as an accountable
and popular teammate amid a veteran-laden roster and has been a
force on the field thus far.
He has been slowed a bit
by a foot injury, but Taylor
dismissed any suggestion
that it could be serious. And
he backed up the talk by
whipping ORT Jon Jansen on
successive drills in practice, showing good strength and a quick first
step and closing speed. In one
interesting twist, the team has flipflopped Taylor and DRE Andre
Carter at times, usually for a
series or two, a tactic the team has
used regularly since Taylor arrived.
That should prevent defenses from
stacking a tight end on Taylors
side every time. It also makes
sense because Taylor had rushed
primarily from the right side the
past few seasons in Miami.
N F C lN O R T H
Run game has work to
do, but Lions plan for
balance is undeterred
Head coach Rod Marinellis
postgame assessment of the
Lions rushing effort in the exhibition opener spoke volumes. When
asked what was the problem,
Marinelli responded, Didnt get
enough yards. That was true. But
it has been clear to observers of
AUGUST 24, 2008
Forceful: DE Jason Taylors presence

gives the Redskins D a big boost
camp that the newfound emphasis
on running the football is a commitment, not just an attempt.
Offensive coordinator Jim Colletto
reminded his players that running
the football is not easy but that the
team would not back down from
doing it this season, even if the
early returns are not pretty. Up
front, the Lions are trying to
establish more of a defensive mentality on the line,
attacking as opposed to letting blocks come to them. It
has been a slow process.
And although it has held back the
production of the running backs
thus far, the team has made an
interesting statement despite
Marinelli imploring the media not
to read too much into it by having rookie Kevin Smith lining up
with the first team and veteran
Tatum Bell with the second.
Marinelli rarely puts rookies atop
the depth chart this early, but
sources in Detroit say the team
believes it has something special
in Smith and that its only a matter
of time before he works well in this
system.
CHICAGO BEARS
Should first-round OLT Chris
Williams be considered a nonfactor this coming season after suffering a herniated lumbar disc that is
expected to keep him on the shelf
for at least the next three
months? It really depends
on how the team is doing,
a veteran team insider told
PFW. The Bears are optimistic that he could be back
practicing by midseason, but if
theyre really struggling and going
nowhere at the halfway point, they
very well could decide to keep him
off the field all season. We hear
its also quite possible that OLG
Terrence Metcalf, who is currently
recuperating from arthroscopic
knee surgery, might also have a
hard time getting back on the field
JEFF FISHBEIN
WWHI
of them, they would have been

here by now, the insider said.
but for different reasons. He

should be back in about two
weeks, the insider said, but if
either Josh Beekman or Anthony
Oakley do well enough at left
guard while hes still out, it
wouldnt be a shock if they just let
Metcalf go, considering how unimpressive hes been in his time with
the team. By all accounts, Beekman played pretty well in his first
full-scale action at left guard as the
starter in the preseason opener vs.
Kansas City. As for the rumors that
the team might be interested in resigning former Bears O-linemen
Fred Miller and Ruben Brown,
we hear thats a long shot. If they
were really interested in either one
OLT Bryant McKinnie has been

facing some terrific trench battles
from new DE Jared Allen in training camp but might have a more
daunting foe on the horizon: commissioner Roger Goodell.
McKinnie is set to face trial
on Sept. 24 for his involvement in a Miami nightclub
scuffle back in February
he faces four charges, one
of which is a felony and could
receive a league-issued suspension. Goodell has not ruled with a
velvet glove in these types of play-
er-conduct cases in his two-year

stint as commissioner. Given McKinnies role in the Vikings Love
Boat incident back in 2005 he
pleaded guilty to misdemeanor
charges in that case the speculation is that, if found guilty, McKinnie could face a multi-game suspension, up to four games worth.
So far in practice, McKinnies backups have been disappointing. The
team tried Chase Johnson at left
tackle, but he hasnt been effective
and has apparently been passed
on the depth chart by rookie Drew
Radovich, an undrafted free
agent. Radovich is receiving the
second-team snaps at left tackle,
but utility OL Artis Hicks remains
regressed, but I dont think they have

improved any. They swapped a lot of
players got rid of a bunch of guys
and brought in a lot of Tampa guys that
Im not sure made them any better.
Their issues are the same issues the
offensive line, the running game, the
quarterback. They got two receivers,
and thats about it on offense. They will
be better on defense. They dont have
the big guy (Shaun Rogers) inside
anymore, but (Cory) Redding should
be all right. Hes a year into his money.
When guys get a huge payday, mentally they tend to slip. Theres always that
upswing the year before they get paid
and then they dip like they made it. Its
like Shangri-La hits home. They (do)
have speed at linebacker.
When you talk about teams that
always find a way to field good linebackers despite (personnel) losses, you
have to mention Seattle and the Giants.
Im not even sure who is coaching those
groups, but they are well-coached year
in and year out. San Diego would have
to be in that group. Tampa Bay is very
well-coached. It does not matter who is
playing, they find a way to keep playing
well. In the AFC, its New England and
Baltimore that first comes to mind. And
some of it might be player-coached. Its

difficult not to perform well with Ray
Lewis close by.
Everywhere (Chargers LB coach)
Ron Rivera has been, linebackers
have played at the top of their game.
The Bears fell apart defensively when
he left. I dont know how he is not a
coordinator somewhere. (Eagles
defensive coordinator) Jim Johnsons
disciples are doing well everywhere
they have gone. (Steve) Spagnuolo
just won the Super Bowl. Leslie Frazier was with the Colts the year before.
Hell, Rivera got fired the year he went to
the Super Bowl. Explain that!
The Giants are very vanilla on
offense, but they still have one of the
best offensive lines in football. They
have not been sweating the loss of
(Jeremy) Shockey at all. It does not
even look like they even blinked (since
he left). (Second-year TE Kevin) Boss
is good hes a better blocker (than
Shockey). He just does not bring the
same speed.
Brett Favre can get it done with
the receivers he has. The group is not
great, but they are functional. Brad
Smith is getting better. (Laveranues)
Coles can play. (Jerricho) Cotchery
is effective inside 15 yards in the short

passing game. They picked up a tight
end in the first round (Dustin Keller)
who can run, and Brett loves his tight
ends. If Thomas Jones stays healthy,
their offense will be in great shape.
They will be running all the screens
you could ever ask for. It could be a
dangerous offense. I dont know that
(the defense) could stop anyone, but
they will be able to score. They are not
that bad defensively, but they are just
not good.
I saw reports about (Vikings
OLT) Bryant McKinnie getting suspended that was news to me. I
would be surprised if anything comes
out of it.
When you look at the NFC North
lately its like they are playing hot
potato, trying to give the division away
to each other. First the Vikings trade
the best receiver in football (Randy
Moss). Then the Bears give away their
franchise back (Thomas Jones). And
now Green Bay trades No. 4 (Brett
Favre). As long as they dont have No.
4, they are not a threat. He was the guy
you worried about defending. Without
him, their heart is cold. Was that ever a
mistake!
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
A U D I B L E S
The following quotes are from NFL
scouts, coaches and front-office personnel, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Green Bay has not looked as
good as they were a year ago in the
preseason. They have taken a step
back on the defensive line. I think its a
smart move playing Cullen Jenkins
at three-technique. He can still play
outside, but they will get a lot out of him
inside. They have to play him there
because they dont have a lot else.
They traded Corey Williams. The
(2007 first-round) rookie (Justin Harrell) is still missing with injuries. Johnny Jolly might be in jail soon.
The way Mike McCarthy uses
his talent makes his talent look better
than it truly is thats why he is a good
coach. He puts his players in position
to be successful.
Losing (rookie OLT) Chris
Williams is a major setback for the
Bears. You dont overcome it. Its a
multi-million dollar mistake that is not
easy to fix. Where do you find left tackles? They dont grow them on trees. Im
just surprised John Tait has not
moved back to left tackle yet. He
played there the last three years. It is
not that difficult to figure out.

(Broncos rookie RB) Ryan
Torain looked real impressive before
he got hurt, but the surprise has been
on the offensive line. (Rookie OLT
Ryan) Clady has played well, and
(ORT) Ryan Harris has stood out.
Hes tough. He has been burying
(defenders). The Broncos got him at a
great price (07 third round).
(Rookie DE) Alex Hall has
looked good in Cleveland. He is standing up and putting his hand in the dirt
in four-man fronts. He has athletic ability and bend to come around the corner. He has upside. He will get more
chances in this league if the Browns do
not keep him.
(Vikings S) Madieu Williams
might be out for the year. They already
lost their ace special-teamer (Jayme
Mitchell). He is done. Their third
defensive end (Brian Robison) has a
more serious injury (varicose vein) than
people realize. You cant ever take that
lightly. It seems like everyone (media)
predicted them to win the Super Bowl
this year, but they might actually have to
show up to play their games. They are
getting hit hard by injuries.
I dont know if Detroit has
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
The way we hear it, Saints WR

Robert Meachems strong showing early in the preseason, including a stunning display in the opening game Aug. 7 against the Cardinals (four catches, 129 yards,
one TD), has helped calm fears
that he might be a first-round bust.
In the process, the secondyear veteran has placed
tremendous pressure on
WR Devery Henderson,
who finds himself battling
for a roster spot. While
Meachem sat out all of his rookie
year with a knee injury, Henderson
struggled through an inconsistent
season. According to our sources
in New Orleans, if Meachem continues to show hes a trusted deep
threat, Henderson, who has been
slowed by a hamstring injury in
camp, is in danger of being cut.
Word is Meachem, the 27th overall pick in the 07 draft, is a lock to
make the team and is working
hard to prove he deserves to play
more snaps.
ATLANTA FALCONS
The Falcons are asking a lot of
SS Lawyer Milloy this season as
he heads up a young secondary.
He is being expected to lead,
teach and perform and would like
to be rewarded for his
efforts with a contract
extension of at least one
year, but Atlantas front
office isnt ready to finalize
a deal yet, the way we hear
it. Sources say the Falcons are
open to an extension for Milloy,
who will become a free agent after
the season, but want to see the
dynamic of their team through four
or five regular-season games
before they make deals with any
contract-year players. Milloy, who
JEFF BARCA
GREEN BAY PACKERS
N F C lS O U T H
Saints WR Meachem
thrives, puts pressure
on Henderson
down and made him work to

explode and cut, Gruden said as
camp closed. Hes really getting
close. I cant tell you how excited
we are about how far hes come in
such a short period of time. I have
to keep it in perspective, but were
going to be very smart here, and
Im not going to do anything until
the trainers give the green light.
Right now were still on yellow and
were still working hard. Until
Williams is prepared for full contact, the Bucs will forge ahead with
a backfield led by Earnest Graham, with Warrick Dunn and
Michael Bennett serving as the
primary backups.
the most likely safety net in case

McKinnie misses time.
Although we hear its hardly a
situation that has reached the
panic stage, word is the Packers
are more than a little concerned
about DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila,
whose participation in training
camp was severely limited by continued soreness in his right
knee following arthroscopic
knee surgery in late May.
The 30-year-old GbajaBiamila was arguably having his best season at the
pro level last season before injuring the knee in mid-November.
From that point on, the Packers
outside pass rush was never the
same the rest of the season. Said
one longtime team insider, KGB
was never seriously hurt before
that injury (hes missed only two
games since 2001), and a lot of
the problem could be that hes
having a hard time mentally handling the situation. Whatever the
case, we hear Packers coaches
are keeping their fingers crossed
that, as the regular season gets
closer, Gbaja-Biamila will get a
better grip on his situation and
turn it up a notch. They better
hope that happens, the insider
said. His outside rush is key.
Stepping up: Robert Meacham hopes

to prove hes a trusted deep threat
will turn 35 in November, believes
hes underpaid, making $1.7 million this season, and he seemed
bitter about that fact early in camp,
according to sources. We hear that
he has decided not to sulk and it
appears hes not letting it affect his
play on the field, judging by a
strong outing in the first preseason
game against the Jaguars. However, sources familiar with Milloy say
that if he does not receive an
extension by the time the season
ends, hell likely move on in free
agency and try to join a contending team.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Panthers teammates are looking
at CB Ken Lucas in a whole new
light, according to sources in Carolina. Prior to his fight with WR
Steve Smith, Lucas was not considered much of a leader. He
stayed quiet for the most part and
was not looked up to as a strong
voice in the locker room.
Since Smith broke his
nose, sidelining him for the
final two weeks of training
camp and probably beyond,
Lucas has gained a new
level of respect because he handled the unfortunate situation so
well. Lucas forgave Smith and tried
to put a positive spin on the brawl,
saying it could bring the team closer together. He easily could have
held a grudge toward Smith and
tried to incite a backlash against
him, but Lucas took the high road,
and the rest of the team followed
his lead. Although some good
could come of the fight, it might be
outweighed by the cost of Smiths
two-game suspension for hitting
Lucas. If the Panthers start out 02, the positive vibes could vanish
in a hurry.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Although he was unable to get
off the physically-unable-to-perform list before the end of training
camp, Bucs head coach Jon Gruden remains optimistic
about RB Cadillac
Williams chances of getting back on the field this
season. Williams suffered a
torn patellar tendon during
a Week Four game last season
and has been sidelined ever since.
The injury was considered careerthreatening. Ive come out a couple times and actually played
defense and chased (Williams)
N F C lW E S T
Newcomer Wahle has
solidified Seahawks
front wall
Although the Seahawks currently have their share of issues at
center and right guard, daily camp
observers tell us the stabilizing
force that veteran newcomer Mike
Wahle has been providing at left
guard has certainly helped to partially offset those concerns.
His impact was noticeable
right from the start, a longtime team insider told PFW.
He immediately became
like another coach in the
weight room during the teams offseason conditioning program, and
although hes not overpowering
like Steve Hutchinson was, hes
very solid and very quick, particularly pulling on screen passes and
runs to the outside. Clearly, the
former Pro Bowler has solidified
what has been a sore spot since
Hutchinson split the scene for Minnesota. He will definitely make life
a lot easier for (longtime OLT) Walter Jones, the insider said. Unlike
some of the other guys who have
been working next to Walter since
Hutchinson left, Mike really
appears to know what hes doing.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
If the positive reports we keep
getting on rookie DEs Calais
Campbell and Kenny Iwebema
are accurate, its unlikely the Cardinals D-line will wilt down the
stretch as it did last season, when
a lack of depth up front really took
its toll. We hear that both
Campbell, the teams second-round pick this season,
and Iwebema, a fourthrounder who played under
D-line coach Ron Aiken in
college at Iowa, have continued to
make their presence felt. In the
Cardinals preseason opener,
Campbell made a couple of key
tackles, and were told the Cardinals offensive linemen have been
raving about Iwebemas strength
at the point of attack since the
teams earliest practice sessions
this offseason. Word is the rookie
DE duo has at times looked so
good that it could gain additional
playing time at the expense of
starting DLE Darnell Dockett,
who, despite his considerable natural ability, continues to commit
careless penalties that really bother head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Docketts disturbing trend for selfish, ill-timed flags was on display
on the very first play of the Cardinals preseason opener vs. the
Saints, when he grabbed an
opposing offensive linemans face

mask for no apparent reason. It
should be noted, however, that
Campbell and Iwebema struggled
somewhat in their second preseason game, with Dockett on the
sideline.
ST. LOUIS RAMS

The Rams cornered the market
on bad luck last season, with key
players going down for the count
with injuries at just about every
position on a disturbingly regular
basis. And heading into the 2008
campaign, it appears theres been
a carryover effect in that regard at
the CB position. Starting RCB
Fakhir Browns status is considered up in the air for possibly the
first couple of regular-season games due to a torn
rotator cuff suffered on the
first weekend of training
camp, and fourth-round CB
Justin King, who was
impressive enough in camp to
move ahead of holdover Jonathan
Wade into the No. 4 CB job, suffered a season-ending toe injury in
the preseason opener. We hear
there is some good news at the
position, however, courtesy of two
other holdovers who reportedly
had excellent camps starting
LCB Tye Hill and usual No. 3 CB
Ron Bartell, who has done well
starting in Browns absence. Hill,
who missed eight games last season due to injuries to his lower
back and left wrist, is particularly
worth watching. Daily team
observers believe the 2006 firstround draft pick could be ready to
make the same kind of quantum
leap in his third season that starting Rams FS O.J. Atogwe made
in his third season last year, provided Hill can avoid the dreaded
injury bug. The versatile Bartell,
meanwhile, is arguably considered
the most reliable defender on the
team at the moment.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

The early indication from team
insiders is that newly acquired veteran LB Takeo Spikes will provide
an upgrade as the new starting
Ted inside linebacker alongside
Patrick Willis provided the 31year-old two-time Pro Bowler can
stay healthy. Theres strong
reason to believe Spikes
signing has been a done
deal for a while now, and
that Spikes might have
timed his arrival in the Bay
Area so that he could avoid the
normal training-camp grind. You
can tell from talking to him that
hes smart and has real leadership
qualities, a team insider said of
Spikes, who will replace veteran
Jeff Ulbrich in the starting lineup.
He wont miss many assignments,
and hes bigger than Ulbrich. He
should draw more attention away
from Willis, and hes been in this
defense before under Dick
LeBeau (in Cincinnati). But the big
question is just how effective he
will be, coming off a torn rotator
cuff. Spikes started 14 games for
the Eagles last season before suffering the injury and going under
the knife. Before Philadelphia
released him, he had been due to
make $5 million this season, and
the word out of Philly is that he
was considered expendable
because the Eagles think so highly
of their young linebackers.
33
2008 NFL PRESEASON

RESULTS, SCHEDULE
All times Eastern
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game

(at Canton, Ohio)
SUNDAY, AUG. 3
Washington 30, Indianapolis 16
Week One
THURSDAY, AUG. 7
Detroit 13, N.Y. Giants 10
N.Y. Jets 24, Cleveland 20
Baltimore 16, New England 15
Kansas City 24, Chicago 20
New Orleans 24, Arizona 10
FRIDAY, AUG. 8
Oakland 18, San Francisco 6
Pittsburgh 16, Philadelphia 10
Seattle 34, Minnesota 17
SATURDAY, AUG. 9
Washington 17, Buffalo 14
Carolina 23, Indianapolis 20
Tampa Bay 17, Miami 6
Jacksonville 20, Atlanta 17
Houston 19, Denver 16
Tennessee 34, St. Louis 13
San Diego 31, Dallas 17
MONDAY, AUG. 11
Cincinnati 20, Green Bay 17
Week Two
THURSDAY, AUG. 14
Buffalo 24, Pittsburgh 21
Philadelphia 24, Carolina 13
FRIDAY, AUG. 15
Tennessee 17, Oakland 16
SATURDAY, AUG. 16
Washington 13, N.Y. Jets 10
Indianapolis 16, Atlanta 9
Miami 19, Jacksonville 14
Minnesota 23, Baltimore 15
Arizona 27, Kansas City 17
Houston 31, New Orleans 27
St. Louis 7, San Diego 6
Denver 23, Dallas 13
Seattle 29, Chicago 26, OT
San Francisco 34, Green Bay 6
SUNDAY, AUG. 17
Detroit 27, Cincinnati 10
Tampa Bay 27, New England 10
MONDAY, AUG. 18
Cleveland at N.Y. Giants., 8 p.m.
Week Three
THURSDAY, AUG. 21
San Francisco at Chicago, 8 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 22
Tennessee at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at New England, 7:30 p.m.
Houston at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Green Bay at Denver, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 23
Cleveland at Detroit, 4 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at N.Y. Jets, 7 p.m.
Washington at Carolina, 7:30 p.m.
Kansas City at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.
New Orleans at Cincinnati, 7:35 p.m.
Baltimore at St. Louis, 8 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Arizona at Oakland, 9 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUG. 24
Buffalo at Indianapolis, 8 p.m.
MONDAY, AUG. 25
Seattle at San Diego, 8 p.m.
Week Four
THURSDAY, AUG. 28
Detroit at Buffalo, 6:30 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m.
Jacksonville at Washington, 7 p.m.
Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.
New England at N.Y. Giants, 7 p.m.
Atlanta at Baltimore, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Carolina at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Dallas, 8 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Houston, 8 p.m.
Miami at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
St. Louis at Kansas City, 8 p.m.
Tennessee at Green Bay. 8 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 29
San Diego at San Francisco, 10 p.m.
Denver at Arizona, 10 p.m.
Oakland at Seattle, 10 p.m.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
34
AUGUST 24, 2008
NFL TRANSACTIONS
(As reported, Aug. 4-15)
AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

BALTIMORE Aug. 9: Passed physical: S Ed Reed.
Aug. 11: Roster additions: DT Darrell Campbell (released by
Buccaneers 9/2; Orlando-Arena Football 08); LB Terrence
Melton (not tendered as UFA by Panthers 6/1). Placed on
waivers: LB Prescott Burgess (broken wrist); RB P.J. Daniels
(shoulder); FB Justin Green. Aug. 12: Roster additions: TE
Keith Heinrich (released by Buccaneers 6/20); FB Lorenzo
Neal (released by Chargers 2/28). Reserve/injured: LB
Prescott Burgess; RB P.J. Daniels. Placed on waivers: TE
Lee Vickers. Aug. 14: Roster addition: CB Anwar Phillips
(released by Saints 7/21, by Ravens 8/4). Passed physical:
TE Daniel Wilcox. Placed on waivers: OG Isaiah Wiggins.
BUFFALO Aug. 4: Roster addition: WR C.J. Hawthorne
(Hawaii). Aug. 7: Roster addition: DE Derrick Jones (released
by Falcons 6/25). Placed on waivers: LB Alvin Bowen
(injured/knee). Aug. 8: Reserve/injured: LB Alvin Bowen.
CINCINNATI Aug. 4: Passed physical: WR Chad Johnson. Placed on waivers: RB Kenny Irons (from reserve/physically unable to perform; failed physical). Aug. 5: Roster addition: CB Jerrid Gaines (released by Browns 5/6, by Bengals
7/8). Passed physical: DeDe Dorsey. Placed on waivers: FB
Tyler Whaley; CB Jonathan Zenon (injury settlement/hamstring). Aug. 6: Draft choice signed: LB Keith Rivers (1/9).
Placed on waivers: WR Travis Brown (injured/hamstring).
Aug. 14: Placed on waivers: OG Justin Britt (injured/shoulder). Aug. 15: Reserve/injured: OG Justin Britt.
CLEVELAND Aug. 9: Contract terminated: DB Gary
Baxter. Aug. 11: Roster additions: CB Travis Key (released
by Vikings 7/2); S Brandon Mitchell (released by Texans 8/1).
Placed on waivers: S Steve Cargile. Aug. 14: Roster addition: OT Jonathan Palmer (released by Raiders 7/18, by
Giants 8/12). Placed on waivers: OT Cliff Louis.
DENVER Aug. 4: Roster addition: S Vickiel Vaughn
(released by Broncos 6/18). Aug. 12: Roster addition: CB
Wale Dada (released from reserve/injured with injury settlement by Seahawks 5/6, by Saints 8/11). Passed physical: TE
Chad Mustard. Placed on waivers: CB Lamont Reid. Aug.
13: Roster addition: CB Tyrone Poole (released by Texans
9/1). Placed on waivers: CB Christian Morton.
HOUSTON Aug. 4: Roster addition: CB Dexter Wynn
(not tendered as UFA by Texans 6/1). Reserve/injured: CB
Jimmy Williams (knee). Aug. 8: Roster addition: OT Torrin
Tucker (released by Raiders 8/28; New York-Arena Football
08). Placed on waivers: RB Mike Bell (injured/hamstring).
Aug. 11: Roster addition: OT Cliff Washburn (released by
Packers 4/24). Reserve/injured: RB Mike Bell. Placed on
waivers: LB Marcus Richardson. Aug. 12: Placed on waivers:
RB Mike Bell (from reserve/injured, injury settlement).
INDIANAPOLIS Aug. 4: Reserve/injured: WR Charles
Dillon. Aug. 5: Roster addition: OG Tala Esera (released by
Colts 8/4). Placed on waivers: C Doug Datish. Aug. 6:
Assigned on waivers: LB Danny Verdun Wheeler from Redskins. Roster addition: LB-TE Dedrick Harrington (released
by Rams 7/23). Placed on waivers: LB Brandon Archer
(injured/ankle); P Adam Crossett; WR Charles Dillon (from
reserve/injured, injury settlement). Aug. 7: Reserve/injured:
LB Brandon Archer. Aug. 9: Roster addition: P Adam Crossett (released by Colts 8/7). Placed on waivers: RB Clifton
Dawson. Aug. 11: Placed on waivers: LB Brandon Archer
(from reserve/injured, injury settlement). Aug. 12: Assigned
on waivers: LB Marcus Richardson from Texans. Roster
addition: RB Clifton Dawson (released by Colts 8/11). Placed
on waivers: CB Michael Coe (injured/knee); LB Dedrick Harrington (injured). Aug. 13: Reserve/injured: CB Michael Coe;
LB Dedrick Harrington.
JACKSONVILLE Aug. 4: Roster addition: TE Isaac

Smolko (released by Jaguars 6/19). Placed on waivers: FB
Anthony Cotrone (injured/knee). Aug. 5: Reserve/injured: FB
Anthony Cotrone. Aug. 6: Roster addition: DT Tywain Myles
(Tarleton State). Placed on waivers: DT Theo Horrocks
(injured/foot). Aug. 7: Roster addition: DT Jesse Mahelona
(released by Falcons 12/31). Reserve/injured: DT Theo Horrocks. Placed on waivers: DT Tywain Myles (injured/ankle).
Aug. 8: Reserve/injured: DT Tywain Myles. Aug. 9: Roster
addition: DE Bo Schobel (released by Cardinals 7/21).
Placed on waivers: DE James Wyche (injured/Achilles). Aug.
11: Reserve/injured: DE James Wyche. Aug. 14: Assigned
on waivers: OT Pete McMahon from Patriots. Roster addition: DT Jonathan Lewis (released by Seahawks 5/2, by Lions
6/26). Contract terminated: OT Leander Jordan. Placed on
waivers: RB Lavarius Giles.
KANSAS CITY Aug. 9: Roster addition: OT Ken
Shackleford (released by Chiefs 7/28). Placed on waivers:
CB Will Poole.
MIAMI Aug. 4: Reserve/injured: TE Aaron Halterman.
Aug. 11: Roster additions: DE Maurice Fountain (UtahArena Football 08); QB Chad Pennington (released by Jets
8/7). Placed on waivers: LB Kelvin Smith (injured/knee). Aug.
12: Reserve/injured: LB Kelvin Smith. Contract terminated:
PK Jay Feely. Aug. 15: Placed on waivers: WR John Dunlap,
WR Selwyn Lymon; LB Keith Saunders.
NEW ENGLAND Aug. 4: Roster addition: OG John
Welbourn (released by Chiefs 2/13). Placed on waivers: DE
Chris Norwell. Aug. 5: Passed physical: LB Mike Vrabel. Aug.
9: Roster addition: CB Jeff Shoate (released by Broncos 12/5,
ended 07 season on Giants practice squad). Reserve/injured:
S Tank Williams (knee). Aug. 12: Passed physical: DL Jarvis
Green, Mike Wright. Aug. 13: Roster addition: CB Ade Jimoh
(released by Bears 3/21). Placed on waivers: OT Pete McMahon. Aug. 14: Roster addition: OT Stephen Sene (released by
Rams 7/29). Placed on waivers: WR Chris Dunlap. Aug. 15:
Roster addition: S John Lynch (released by Broncos 8/1).
Reserve/injured: OT-OG Barry Stokes (back).
N.Y. JETS Aug. 4: Passed physical: TE Chris Baker.
Aug. 7: Traded: Conditional fourth-round pick in 2009 draft to
Packers for QB Brett Favre. Contract terminated: QB Chad
Pennington. Aug. 9: Roster addition: OT Thaddeus Coleman
(released by Cardinals 8/4). Reserve/injured: LB Brad Kassell
(knee). Aug. 11: Roster addition: LB Blair Phillips (released
by Cowboys 9/2). Placed on waivers: OT Clint Oldenburg
(injured/knee). Aug. 12: Assigned on waivers: FB Justin
Green from Ravens. Reserve/injured: OT Clint Oldenburg.
Placed on waivers: RB Rodney Kinlaw. Aug. 14: Placed on
waivers: FB Justin Green (failed physical); OT Clint Oldenburg
(from reserve/injured, injury settlement). Aug. 15: Roster addition: RB Rodney Kinlaw (released by Jets 8/13).
OAKLAND Aug. 8: Roster addition: PK Aaron Elling
(not tendered as UFA by Bengals 6/1). Placed on waivers:
OT Mark Wilson (injured/broken leg). Aug. 11: Roster addition: S-LB Adam Archuleta (released by Bears 5/6).
Reserve/injured: OT Mark Wilson. Contract terminated: S
Greg Wesley. Aug. 13: Roster addition: DB Nick Sanchez
(Stanford). Placed on waivers: LB Malik Jackson. Aug. 14:
Roster addition: P Glenn Pakulak (released by Bears 6/5).
Contract terminated: LB Edgerton Hartwell.
PITTSBURGH Aug. 4: Passed physical: OG Chris
Kemoeatu. Placed on waivers: OT Jason Capizzi (from
reserve/injured, injury settlement). Aug. 11: Roster additions: P Mitch Berger (not tendered as UFA by Cardinals 6/1);
QB Byron Leftwich (released by Falcons 2/19). Passed physical: NT Casey Hampton. Placed on waivers: LB Anthony
Trucks; WR Gerran Walker. Aug. 12: Assigned on waivers:
DE Kevin Huntley from Redskins. Placed on waivers: DE
Kyle Clement (injured/knee). Aug. 13: Reserve/injured: DT

Kyle Clement. Aug. 15: Placed on waivers: DE Kevin Huntley (failed physical).
SAN DIEGO Aug. 4: Passed physical: LB Anthony
Waters. Aug. 6: Passed physical: FB Andrew Pinnock.
TENNESSEE Aug. 4: Passed physical: CB Cary
Williams; WR Roydell Williams.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

ARIZONA Aug. 5: Roster addition: C Jasper Harvey
(released by Eagles 9/2; Orlando-Arena Football 08). Contract terminated: RB Marcel Shipp. Aug. 14: Roster addition:
LB Brandon Moore (released by 49ers 8/11). Passed physical: LB Monty Beisel. Placed on waivers: LB David Holloway.
ATLANTA Aug. 4: Roster addition: TE George Cooper (released by Falcons 6/13). Placed on waivers: RB Jamar
Brittingham. Aug. 5: Placed on waivers: LB Robert James
(injured/concussion). Aug. 6: Roster addition: LB Mickey
Pimentel (released by Chiefs 5/7). Reserve/injured: LB
Robert James. Aug. 7: Roster addition: C Doug Datish
(released by Falcons 6/23, by Colts 8/6). Placed on waivers:
PK Kevin Lovell. Aug. 11: Placed on waivers: TE Brad Listorti
(injury settlement).
CAROLINA Aug. 5: Roster addition: TE Chad Upshaw
(released by Panthers 7/22). Placed on waivers: DT Michael
Marquardt. Aug. 7: Placed on waivers: OT Charles Spencer.
Aug. 11: Roster addition: OT Rueben Riley (released by Dolphins 8/4).
CHICAGO Aug. 4: Passed physical: OG Chester
Adams. Aug. 6: Placed on waivers: RB Matt Lawrence. Aug.
9: Passed physical: NT Dusty Dvoracek; RB Kevin Jones.
DETROIT Aug. 4: Passed physical: OG Edwin Mulitalo. Reserve/injured: LB Teddy Lehman (hamstring); OT Chris
Patrick. Aug. 6: Placed on waivers: OT Chris Patrick (from
reserve/injured, injury settlement). Aug. 8: Contract terminated: LB Teddy Lehman (from reserve injured/injury settlement). Aug. 9: Roster additions: OG Damion Cook (released
by Dolphins 9/4/05; Tampa Bay-Arena Football 08); PK Dave
Rayner (released by Dolphins 6/11); CB Kiwaukee Thomas
(released by Bills 2/28). Placed on waivers: P Eddie Johnson; C Nick Jones; CB Stanley Wilson (injured/Achilles). Aug.
11: Passed physical: S Daniel Bullocks; Dan Campbell; WR
Shaun McDonald. Reserve/injured: CB Stanley Wilson.
GREEN BAY Aug. 4: Reinstatement: QB Brett Favre
from reserve/retired. ERFA re-signed: RB Ryan Grant.
Placed on waivers: CB Condrew Allen (injured/knee); LS
Thomas Gafford. Aug. 5: Active/non-football injury: QB
Brett Favre (abdominal). Reserve/injured: CB Condrew Allen.
Aug. 7: Roster addition: CB Scorpio Babers (released by
Dolphins 7/31). Traded: QB Brett Favre to Jets for conditional
fourth-round pick in 2009 draft. Aug. 8: Placed on waivers:
CB Condrew Allen (from reserve/injured, injury settlement).
MINNESOTA Aug. 11: Roster additions: OT Sean
Dumford (released by Ravens 8/1); DE Chris Norwell
(released by Patriots 8/5); OT Brock Pasteur (released by
Titans 7/28). Placed on waivers: LB Heath Farwell
(injured/knee); OG Mike Jones (injured/shoulder); DE Jayme
Mitchell (injured/knee). Aug. 12: Reserve/injured: LB Heath
Farwell; OG Mike Jones; DE Jayme Mitchell.
NEW ORLEANS Aug. 4: Roster additions: NT Tim
McGill (Illinois); DT James Reed (released by Chiefs 2/27).
Placed on waivers: DE Marquies Gunn (injured); WR Curtis
Hamilton. Aug. 5: Roster addition: DE Jeremy Geathers
(released by Saints 7/21). Reserve/injured: DE Marquies
Gunn. Placed on waivers: NT Tim McGill (injured/foot). Aug.
6: Reserve/injured: DT Tim McGill. Placed on waivers: DE
Marquies Gunn (from reserve/injured, injury settlement). Aug.

7: Placed on waivers: DT Tim McGill (from reserve/injured,
injury settlement). Aug. 9: Roster addition: WR Joe West
(released by Cowboys 6/24). Placed on waivers: CB Wale
Dada. Aug. 11: Roster addition: LS Ryan Senser (released
by Saints 7/28). Reserve/injured: DT James Reed (Achilles).
N.Y. GIANTS Aug. 4: Passed physical: LB Gerris Wilkinson. Aug. 11: Roster additions: OG Andrew Bain (released by
Giants 7/22); DE Antonio Reynolds (released by Giants 5/15); S
Stuart Schweigert (released by Raiders 5/20, by Redskins 8/5).
Placed on waivers: DE Robert Henderson (injured/ankle); OT
Jonathan Palmer; S Nehemiah Warrick (injured/knee). Aug. 12:
Reserve/injured: DE Robert Henderson; S Nehemiah Warrick.
Aug. 14: Reserve/injured: OT Shane Olivea (back). Placed on
waivers: DE Antonio Reynolds (injured/hamstring). Aug. 15:
Roster addition: PK Josh Huston (released by Giants 9/2, from
Bengals practice squad 10/15; Cleveland-Arena Football 08).
Assigned on waivers: OT Cliff Louis from Browns.
Reserve/injured: DE Antonio Reynolds.
PHILADELPHIA Aug. 9: Contract terminated: DT
Kimo von Oelhoffen. Aug. 11: Reinstated: OG Shawn
Andrews from reserve/did not report; declared active/non-football injury. Roster addition: DT Michael Marquardt (released
by Bengals 7/8, by Panthers 8/6). Placed on waivers: OT
Franklin Dunbar (back). Aug. 12: Reserve/injured: OT
Franklin Dunbar. Aug. 14: Placed on waivers: OT Franklin
Dunbar (from reserve/injured, injury settlement).
ST. LOUIS Aug. 4: Reserve/injured: LB Vince Hall.
Aug. 13: Roster addition: DB Tanard Davis (released by
Eagles 6/17). Placed on waivers: DT Vernon Bryant.
SAN FRANCISCO Aug. 4: Contract terminated: OG
Jeb Terry (from reserve/injured, injury settlement). Aug. 11:
Roster additions: OG-OT Chris Patrick (released by Packers
4/24, by Lions from reserve/injured, injury settlement 8/7); LB
Takeo Spikes (released/failed physical by Eagles 3/6). Contract terminated: LB Brandon Moore. Placed on waivers: OT
Damane Duckett (injured/knee). Aug. 12: Reserve/injured:
OT Damane Duckett.
SEATTLE Aug. 4: Roster additions: DT Kevin Brown
(released by Seahawks 7/28); OG Ben Claxton (released by
Raiders 8/21/07). Reserve/injured: OG Chris Gray (back).
Placed on waivers: CB DeMichael Dizer (injured/knee). Aug.
5: Reserve/injured: CB DeMichael Dizer. Aug. 6: Roster
addition: CB Derrick Johnson (released by Texans 5/30).
Reserve/injured: LB Wesly Mallard. Aug. 11: Roster additions: DB Marquis Floyd (San Jose-Arena Football 08); LB
Dallas Sartz (released by Vikings 5/2). Passed physical: P
Ryan Plackemeier. Contract terminated: DT Marcus Tubbs
(failed physical/knee). Placed on waivers: LB Matt Castelo
(injured/knee); CB Derrick Johnson (toe). Aug. 12:
Reserve/injured: LB Matt Castelo; CB Derrick Johnson. Aug.
13: Roster addition: LS Tim Lindsey (released by Seahawks
4/30). Placed on waivers: LB Eric Wicks (injured/leg). Aug.
14: Reserve/injured: LB Eric Wicks.
WASHINGTON Aug. 5: Roster additions: DB Patrick
Ghee (released by Redskins 6/18); TE Pete Schmitt (released
by Redskins 7/18). Contract terminated: S Stuart
Schweigert. Placed on waivers: LB Danny Verdun Wheeler.
Aug. 7: Roster addition: S Justin Hamilton (released by Redskins 6/17). Placed on waivers: TE Pete Schmitt. Aug. 11:
Passed physical: DE Erasmus James. Placed on waivers:
DE Kevin Huntley. Aug. 15: Placed on waivers: RB Eric Shelton (from reserve/injured).
ONLINE TRANSACTION UPDATES AT:

www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL+Zone/Transactions/default.htm
FIRST-ROUND RUNDOWN
To more accurately reflect the actual value of first-round rookie contracts, last season Pro Football Weekly revamped the way in which it presents that information. As shown in the tables below for first-round picks, the four new categories (left to right) indicate:
(1) contract length in years; (2) actual guaranteed money after options; (3) total five-year value based upon achieving minimum playing-time thresholds; and (4) maximum contract value if all incentives are met. The five-year value is considered a more realistic
total-earning figure, given that many incentives will not be met and a rookie contract will likely be ripped up and redone prior to the final year of the deal.
2007 FIRST ROUND

PK POS/PLAYER/TEAM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
DATE
SIGNED
QB JaMARCUS RUSSELL / Oak.

Sept. 11
WR CALVIN JOHNSON / Det.
Aug. 3
OT JOE THOMAS / Cle.
July 26
DE GAINES ADAMS / T.B.
July 26
OT LEVI BROWN / Ari.
Aug. 2
FS LaRON LANDRY / Was.
July 30
RB ADRIAN PETERSON / Min.
July 29
DE JAMAAL ANDERSON / Atl.
July 25
WR TED GINN JR. / Mia.
July 27
DT AMOBI OKOYE / Hou.
July 27
LB PATRICK WILLIS / S.F.
July 29
RB MARSHAWN LYNCH / Buf.
July 26
DT-DE ADAM CARRIKER / St.L.
July 27
CB DARRELLE REVIS / NYJ
Aug. 15
OLB LAWRENCE TIMMONS / Pit.
July 22
DT JUSTIN HARRELL / G.B.
July 27
DE JARVIS MOSS / Den.
July 28
CB LEON HALL / Cin.
July 28
S MICHAEL GRIFFIN / Ten.
July 27
CB AARON ROSS / NYG
July 27
FS REGGIE NELSON / Jax.
July 27
QB BRADY QUINN / Cle.
Aug. 7
WR DWAYNE BOWE / K.C.
Aug. 5
CB-FS BRANDON MERIWEATHER / N.E. July 28
LB JON BEASON / Car.
Aug. 5
OLB ANTHONY SPENCER / Dal.
July 26
WR ROBERT MEACHEM / N.O.
July 24
OT JOE STALEY / S.F.
July 16
OG BEN GRUBBS / Bal.
July 27
WR CRAIG DAVIS / S.D.
July 23
TE GREG OLSEN / Chi.
July 3
WR ANTHONY GONZALEZ / Ind.
July 26
REAL
GUARANTEED
YEARS AFTER OPTIONS
6
6
5
5
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
$32.0 mil.
$27.2 mil.
$23.0 mil.
$19.3 mil.
$22.9 mil.
$17.5 mil.
$17.0 mil.
$15.4 mil.
$14.1 mil.
$12.8 mil.
$12.0 mil.
$10.3 mil.
$9.3 mil.
$14.0 mil.
$8.3 mil.
$8.1 mil.
$8.1 mil.
$8.2 mil.
$8.2 mil.
$8.0 mil.
$7.2 mil.
$7.8 mil.
$6.5 mil.
$6.3 mil.
$6.3 mil.
$6.4 mil.
$5.7 mil.
$5.5 mil.
$5.5 mil.
$5.4 mil.
$5.4 mil.
$5.4 mil.
2008 FIRST ROUND

5-YEAR
VALUE
MAX VALUE
W/INCENTIVES
$54.5 mil.
$36.9 mil.
$33.5 mil.
$26.0 mil.
$22.9 mil.
$22.0 mil.
$22.5 mil.
$19.2 mil.
$17.5 mil.
$15.4 mil.
$14.4 mil.
$13.3 mil.
$12.8 mil.
$21.0 mil.
$11.9 mil.
$11.8 mil.
$11.5 mil.
$11.0 mil.
$10.5 mil.
$10.0 mil.
$9.8 mil.
$9.3 mil.
$9.0 mil.
$8.8 mil.
$8.3 mil.
$9.0 mil.
$8.2 mil.
$7.9 mil.
$7.9 mil.
$7.8 mil.
$7.8 mil.
$7.5 mil.
$68.0 mil.
$64.0 mil.
$42.5 mil.
$45.0 mil.
$62.0 mil.
$41.5 mil.
$40.5 mil.
$30.9 mil.
$21.8 mil.
$17.6 mil.
$16.7 mil.
$18.9 mil.
$14.3 mil.
$36.0 mil.
$15.0 mil.
$14.5 mil.
$15.0 mil.
$13.6 mil.
$13.3 mil.
$13.5 mil.
$13.4 mil.
$30.0 mil.
$11.8 mil.
$11.5 mil.
$11.4 mil.
$9.0 mil.
$11.3 mil.
$10.7 mil.
$10.6 mil.
$11.1 mil.
$10.7 mil.
$10.3 mil.
PK POS/PLAYER/TEAM
OT JAKE LONG / Mia.

DE CHRIS LONG / StL.
QB MATT RYAN / Atl.
RB DARREN MCFADDEN / Oak.
DT GLENN DORSEY / K.C.
DE VERNON GHOLSTON / N.Y.J.
DT SEDRICK ELLIS / N.O.
DE DERRICK HARVEY / Jax.
OLB KEITH RIVERS / Cin.
ILB JEROD MAYO / N.E.
CB LEODIS MCKELVIN / Buf.
OT RYAN CLADY / Den.
RB JONATHAN STEWART / Car.
OT CHRIS WILLIAMS / Chi.
OG BRANDEN ALBERT / K.C.
CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE / Ari.
OT GOSDER CHERILUS / Det.
QB JOE FLACCO / Bal.
OT JEFF OTAH / Car.
CB AQIB TALIB / T.B.
OT SAM BAKER / Atl.
RB FELIX JONES / Dal.
RB RASHARD MENDENHALL / Pit.
RB CHRIS JOHNSON / Ten.
CB MIKE JENKINS / Dal.
OT DUANE BROWN / Hou.
CB ANTOINE CASON / S.D.
DE LAWRENCE JACKSON / Sea.
DT KENTWAN BALMER / S.F.
TE DUSTIN KELLER / N.Y.J.
Pick forfeited by Patriots
31. SS KENNY PHILLIPS / N.Y.G.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
DATE
SIGNED
REAL
GUARANTEED
YEARS AFTER OPTIONS
5-YEAR
VALUE
MAX VALUE
W/INCENTIVES
April 21
July 20
May 20
June 6
July 26
July 25
July 29
5
5
6
6
5
5
5
$30.0 mil.
$29.0 mil.
$34.8 mil.
$26.0 mil.
$22.5 mil.
$21.0 mil.
$19.5 mil.
$50.0 mil.
$48.0 mil.
$56.0 mil.
$36.2 mil.
$33.0 mil.
$32.5 mil.
$32.0 mil.
$57.8 mil.
$55.3 mil.
$72.0 mil.
$60.0 mil.
$51.0 mil.
$50.0 mil.
$49.0 mil.
Aug. 5
July 24
July 26
July 25
July 26
July 23
July 24
July 25
July 23
July 16
July 25
July 25
July 25
July 25
July 25
July 26
July 25
July 25
July 24
July 24
July 24
July 18
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
$15.4 mil.
$13.8 mil.
$12.6 mil.
$11.4 mil.
$10.8 mil.
$9.5 mil.
$9.2 mil.
$9.0 mil.
$8.9 mil.
$8.4 mil.
$8.95 mil.
$8.6 mil.
$8.1 mil.
$8.0 mil.
$7.1 mil.
$6.9 mil.
$7.0 mil.
$6.5 mil.
$6.2 mil.
$6.1 mil.
$6.0 mil.
$6.0 mil.
$20.1 mil.
$16.3 mil.
$16.0 mil.
$13.1 mil.
$14.0 mil.
$13.0 mil.
$12.7 mil.
$12.2 mil.
$12.3 mil.
$11.9 mil.
$11.3 mil.
$11.0 mil.
$10.5 mil.
$10.5 mil.
$9.9 mil.
$9.6 mil.
$9.7 mil.
$9.1 mil.
$8.6 mil.
$8.6 mil.
$8.5 mil.
$8.5 mil.
$25.0 mil.
$18.9 mil.
$19.4 mil.
$17.3 mil.
$20.6 mil.
$16.0 mil.
$15.8 mil.
$15.1 mil.
$14.8 mil.
$29.8 mil.
$14.7 mil.
$14.1 mil.
$13.5 mil.
$10.5 mil.
$12.6 mil.
$12.1 mil.
$9.7 mil.
$11.4 mil.
$11.8 mil.
$11.2 mil.
$11.3 mil.
$11.8 mil.
July 23
$5.7 mil.
$8.3 mil.
$11.2 mil.
AUGUST 24, 2008
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
35
SHAKEN BUT NOT STIRRED:
Favre-less Packers still potent enough to win division

McCarthy has more tricks up his sleeve than the
majority of his counterparts, and I expect his chicanery
to be on full display a few weeks from now when the
Packers open up the regular season at home against a
Vikings team that I believe is a lot more vulnerable than
the masses might realize.
Thats especially the case with a suspect Minnesota
secondary that will be without newly acquired S Madieu
Williams, who could miss up to six weeks because of a
neck injury that could end up proving to be a real pain in
the neck for Leslie Fraziers otherwise vastly improved
defense.
Heres one more point worth making: Although hes
certainly a more proven commodity at the pro level than
Rodgers right now, Im hardly sold on Vikings No. 1 QB
Tarvaris Jackson, who sent shivers up head coach Brad
Childress spine when he was forced to leave Minnesotas second preseason tilt with a sprained MCL that is
expected to be healed in time for the season opener.
By all accounts, Jackson has looked solid so far this
preseason, but his receiving targets arent nearly as inviting as the Packers deep and talented array of pass catchers, who I predict will get their act together before the
real show begins.
The way I see it, life in Green Bay will go on without
Favre just fine, with a lot less tension. It wont come
easy, but the Pack is still my pick to repeat in the NFC
North, with Rodgers continuing to make steady progress
after his misstep in San Francisco.
A-bombs
Talk about a tactical maneuver gone bad. If he

hasnt already done so by the time you read this and I
sure hope for his sake that he has the suggestion here
is that Rams RB Steven Jackson get his butt over to
Rams Park pronto and end a holdout that should have
never happened in the first place. Team insiders Ive
talked to have only one word for Jacksons contract
impasse: puzzling. At presstime, the skinny was that
On course: Aaron Rodgers will eventually get his act together
the Rams and Jacksons agent, Eugene Parker, havent
been that far apart on contract terms for a while now. In
what they did.
the meantime, Jackson has managed to further alienate a
There are a growing number of gridiron chroniclers
fan base that he ripped into last season for not being liveacross the country predicting that the Packers backward
ly enough. Head coach Scott Linehan, who has gone
steps will continue, with Rodgers facing the unenviable
above and beyond the call of duty to repair the leaks in a
task of replacing the Packers legend that is Brett Favre,
franchise that sunk to new depths in 2007, deserves so
gone but hardly forgotten as he tries to regain his magic
much better from his best player.
touch and turn the Jets into an instant playoff contender.
I know Tony Dungy and the Colts did an amazing
But Im not one of them.
job of overcoming injuries last season, but isnt it time to
With Favre out of the mix in Green Bay, it appears that be more than a little concerned about a team with five
the proactive Vikings have become the choice du
starters QB Peyton Manning, SS Bob Sanders,
jour in the NFC North a sentiment playDE Dwight Freeney, OLB Tyjuan Hagler
ers like Vikings DT Pat Williams are
and OG Ryan Lilja who had yet to
having no problem airing out to the
participate in a single practice as of
masses.
this writing? And lets not forget
Im going to crush all of
about WR Marvin Harrison,
em, Williams boasted in a
who missed 11 games last searecent widely circulated Interson with a ruptured bursa sac.
net exchange with
Mannings bursa sac is only
Yahoo.com. Thats been
infected, but the Colts have
the focus of my whole
kept him under lock and key
summer the Green Bay
as if he were a member of
Packers.
the Witness Protection Program. Fortunately for ManWilliams added fuel to
ning, nobody has paid all
the fire with this rather
that much attention to his
unsettling assessment of
Titans PK Rob Bironas was recently presented with
absence on a national level,
Rodgers: People think its
the 2007 Golden Toe trophy, which Pro Football
thanks to Favregate. Look
the system, but it aint no
Weekly annually awards to the leagues top kickfor the interest level to soar in
damn system. Brett Favre just
ing specialist, as voted on by the PFW editors.
the Colts prized possession with
Bironas led the NFL in field goals last seaknows where his guys are
son and connected on a league-record
Week One upon us before we
going to be at all times, and I
eight three-pointers in a 38-36
know it.
dont think Aaron Rodgers has got
win over the Texans in
Well-known for his stellar sumthat yet.
Week Seven.
mer signings for some time now, Patriots
Not so fast, Pat. Lets see what the
personnel maven Scott Pioli has apparently
Packers offense looks like when two of its
pulled another rabbit out of his cap with the addition of
key performers RB Ryan Grant and WR Greg JenJohn Lynch. The former Broncos safety believes he still
nings step on the field for the first time this preseahas plenty of football left in his 36-year-old body. As
son.
was the case with LB Junior Seau, another terrific playI could be wrong, but if theres any team in the league
er in the twilight of a great career, I have a strong feeling
thats intentionally scaling down its offense and waiting
that Lynch will make a significant contribution to anothuntil Week One before unleashing any substantial bells
er New England playoff run this season.
and whistles, its Mike McCarthys Packers.
Golden Toe Award
Ricky Williams
SPORTPICS PHOTOS
Im going to give Aaron Rodgers the benefit of the

doubt. He wasted no time saying the Packers took a step
backwards in an across-the-board lackluster 34-6 loss to
the lowly 49ers in their second preseason game.
Playing in front of a large number of family and
friends, Rodgers somehow managed to make Niners journeyman QB J.T. OSullivan look like Johnny Unitas by
comparison, registering a meager 64.1 passer rating after
having looked much more respectable in Green Bays
preseason opener vs. the Bengals five nights earlier.
But it was far from just a one-man letdown, as
Rodgers normally capable receivers continued their
early preseason trend of dropping catchable passes, and
his offensive line, particularly Jason Spitz at left guard,
looked horrendous, allowing four sacks.
We didnt get into any kind of rhythm, Rodgers said.
We made too many mistakes. For one thing, I held the
ball too long at times and made some poor decisions.
Their defense presents multiple fronts. They posed quite
a challenge. Frankly, we didnt play or adjust well to
MARC SEROTA / GETTY IMAGES
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
SPORTPICS
THE SLANT
DAN ARKUSH
Chad Johnson
Five other vets to in this issue of PFW,

watch
In the training-camp reports
we identified a veteran to watch on every team.
Here are five more at five different positions
whom I consider particularly intriguing with the 2008
regular season fast approaching:
RB Ricky Williams / Dolphins Hot on the heels
of reformed drug user Josh Hamiltons eye-popping
baseball numbers this season, a big-time comeback
campaign by Williams would be a riveting feel-good
follow-up sports story. By all accounts, the five-time
violator of the NFLs substance-abuse policy never has
had his act so together, both on and off the field. How
cool would it be if the reports out of Miami are true
that, at the age of 31, Williams actually has become a
respected team leader? It doesnt hurt that he also
reportedly has been running like the old Ricky
Williams.
WR Chad Johnson / Bengals Could he have
been serious when he said on ESPNs Pardon the
Interruption recently that he could beat Olympian
Michael Phelps in a race at the pool back on his old
home turf? While Johnson was smart enough to get
back in Marvin Lewis good graces this offseason, the
guy is still a certifiable knucklehead but in a much
more likable way, I think, than T.O. was in San Francisco and Philadelphia. I have a feeling Ocho Cinco
is going to do something out of left field before the 08
season is over. I can hardly wait.
QB Jay Cutler / Broncos Of all the young guns,
I think Cutler has the best shot at being the deadliest
in the league. I just love to watch him throw the ball. I
also really loved the show of support he gave to
teammate Brandon Marshall after Pacman Jones
was quoted recently as saying Marshall was
nowhere near T.O. Cutlers retort? Thats fine. We
go against Champ (Bailey) every day. The Broncos
appear to have a lot of concerns, including Marshall,
but quarterback isnt one of them. I look for Cutler to
somehow put up big numbers despite a very flawed
supporting cast. The more I see and hear him, the
more I think that this is a guy who could someday
carry a team on his shoulders.
DE Julius Peppers / Panthers Hard as it was
to believe, his 2007 numbers didnt lie. After averaging 1112 sacks the previous three seasons, Peppers
mustered only 212 sacks in 07. An aberration? The
way were hearing it, most definitely. After coming to
camp looking like a new man, Peppers came out of
the gate like a madman in the Panthers preseason
opener, recording a sack, forcing a fumble and getting in Colts QB Jim Sorgis face on an interception in
the first two series. When hes on his game, Peppers
is still one of the leagues most dominant defenders.
MLB Brian Urlacher / Bears Now $18 million
richer after signing a one-year contract extension
through 2012, it will be very interesting to see how
the face of the franchise although DT Tommie Harris is gaining on him fast in that regard performs
both on and off the field this coming season. Can an
Urlacher-led defense that looks like one of the
leagues best on paper offset what looks like the
leagues worst offense on paper? Stay tuned.
DAN ARKUSH
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F A N T A S Y

DRAFT BOARD 12-TEAM MOCK DRAFT AUCTION PRICE LIST

EXPERTS ROUNDTABLE POSITION DROP-OFFS FANTASY DOCTOR

l VOL. XXIII, NO. 8 l AUGUST 24, 2008

URGENT NEWS DELIVER IMMEDIATELY

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

AUGUST 24, 2008

CREATORS & FOUNDERS

Arthur Arkush, Robert Drazkowski

General manager Mike Waters

Executive editors Dan Arkush

Senior editors Nolan Nawrocki

Production assistant Matt Quinnan

Pro Football Weekly

FANTASY FOOTBALL SECTION

Nolan Nawrocki names the

Ask the Experts ....................Pg. 21

The Way We Hear It ..........................Pg. 3

Rodgers, Thompson the clear losers in Green Bay

Distribution manager Arthur Arkush

Titans LB Keith Bulluck overcame a tough childhood,

Editorial assistant Matt Feminis

Subscription manager Kristine Carlsson

We identify veterans and

Managing editor Mike Holbrook

Business manager Christine Klimusko

Publisher/Editor Hub Arkush

Network support tech. Bob Boklewski

f you do enough appearances on talk radio,

AUGUST 24, 2008

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

MICHAEL BLUNDA ERIC EDHOLM NOLAN NAWROCKI

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Eric Mangini was in a bind. Through

VISUAL IMAGE, INC.

Disappointing: Victor Hobson has

ton and Henne are getting the bulk

hell provide for Henne was also a

reins as early as next season if the

NEW YORK JETS

There is a growing sense of

We hear that there are some in

HARRY SCULL, JR.

ing his hand signals, an incident for

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

AUGUST 24, 2008

heap once teams start trimming their

frequently this season.

goes well, he might be sidelined for

AUGUST 24, 2008

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

Still No. 1: If healthy, Willis McGahee

well as the presence of Leftwich

in place for the first two games,

promise the club thought the WR

Titans camp was abuzz about

PREVIEW 2008 and

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

AUGUST 24, 2008

he landscape keeps changing, and the wheels keep turning.

shaky start. For as smart and as savvy as

MARC SEROTA/GETTY IMAGES