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Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Jake Locker has not missed a single offseason practice.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Shoulder problems have plagued Locker during his two-year NFL career, but that won't be an excuse anymore. He's 100 percent healthy, is locked in as the starter, is out of former OC Chris Palmer's ineffective scheme and will play behind a vastly improved offensive line. He will also have a healthy Kenny Britt along with Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter as weapons. Locker's accuracy is a major concern, but his running ability does give him some upside as a QB2.
More: Nashville Tennessean
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- ESPN Dallas suggests Lance Dunbar could still win the No. 2 running back job.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Fifth-round rookie and presumed backup Joseph Randle (thumb surgery) missed all of OTAs and minicamp. Meanwhile, Dunbar reportedly had a "terrific" offseason and has the trust of Tony Romo. It's something to keep an eye on given DeMarco Murray's checkered injury history.
More: ESPN Dallas
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Vernon Davis practiced exclusively with the wide receivers during 49ers minicamp.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: With Michael Crabtree (Achilles') out, Anquan Boldin only capable of playing the slot and a host of question marks battling for the X receiver spot, we knew Davis was going to have a big role in the passing game. By learning the wide receiver positions, he'll have more scheme versatility come Sundays. Davis can line up as an in-line tight end, a move tight end, in the slot and out wide. The 49ers' dominant offensive line frees him from too many blocking responsibilities. They're going to be a run-heavy team, but when they pass we expect Davis to be featured heavily.
More: Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Kellen Winslow's one-year contract with the Jets is worth $840,000 and contains no guaranteed money.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Winslow didn't even get a signing bonus. It's a reminder that although he's the most talented tight end on the roster, he's not a lock to make the final 53. Winslow must prove that his knees can survive a full training camp.
More: Rich Cimini on Twitter
Mon, Jun 17
- A rival NFL executive says new Jets TE Kellen Winslow's situation is a "lot like (David Garrard's)."(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: "He'll be fine in a workout, moving and running, but taking a hit, the grind of training camp and a full, 16-game season will be the litmus tests." We agree, of course. Winslow is a shell of his old self, and will likely have trouble practicing on back-to-back days. His (beyond) creaky knees make him far from a lock for a roster spot despite the Jets' dire situation at tight end.
More: ESPN New York
Fri, Jun 14
- Jets signed TE Kellen Winslow to a one-year contract.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: 30 years old next month, Winslow by all accounts impressed at his tryout at Jets minicamp and couldn't have picked a better landing spot for playing-time opportunities. Current starter Jeff Cumberland is a lumbering, stiff upright tight end and No. 2 TE Hayden Smith is a converted rugby player. There's a real chance Winslow will wind up starting for the Jets, although we wouldn't expect much of a fantasy impact. Purely a possession receiver at this point in his career, Winslow appeared in one game in 2012, catching one pass for 12 yards. He is a shell of the seam-stretcher and vertical threat he once was.
More: Profootballtalk on Twitter
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Coach Bruce Arians said there's "no doubt" Rashard Mendenhall is the Cardinals' No. 1 running back.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: During OTAs and minicamp, Mendenhall ran as the clear feature back. Arians appears to have zero interest in giving Ryan Williams, Stepfan Taylor or Andre Ellington a legit chance to compete. "He took me personally to a Super Bowl, and I know what he can bring to the table as a runner and a pass protector and also a receiver," Arians said of his former first-round pick in Pittsburgh. "He's an every-down player. And I think he's looking forward to having an outstanding season."
More: NFL.com
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Vikings TE John Carlson admitted that his 2012 season was a "debacle."(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Carlson signed a five-year, $25 million last offseason. He sustained a knee injury in camp and never got going, catching just eight balls in 14 games. Now he's accepted a pay cut and is healthy. Carlson will enter camp as the clear No. 2 tight end behind Kyle Rudolph.
More: St. Paul Pioneer Press
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Redskins third-round TE Jordan Reed (thigh) ended up missing all of OTAs and minicamp.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Reed's injury was more severe than a standard muscle pull. "I had a [thigh] contusion in college and that caused my quad to shutdown and stop working, which caused my kneecap to start moving around and banging into my bone, and that caused a bone bruise," he said. "As long as I get that quad back firing right, my kneecap will stay in place and I'll be normal again." The Redskins are expecting Reed to be behind in training camp.
More: Real Redskins
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Coach Jim Schwartz said K Havard Rugland impressed at Lions OTAs and minicamp.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Rugland's claim to fame is a Youtube trick-kick video that went viral and landed him a chance with the Lions. He was the primary kicker this offseason as David Akers nursed a hip injury. Akers is fully expected to be back for training camp and win the job.
More: Detroit Free Press
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- NFL.com's Ian Rapoport confirms Rob Gronkowski (back surgery, arm surgery) will open camp on the active/PUP list.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: ESPN's Adam Schefter had the news first on Tuesday, but Rapsheet has chimed in with slightly stronger language, saying it "will" happen. Per Rapsheet, the Pats haven't given up hope that Gronk will be ready for Week 1, but we'd assume it's a fanciful hope. Gronk isn't a Peterson-esque healer, while the Pats have every reason to exercise extreme caution with their game-changing tight end.
More: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
Tue, Jun 18Recent News
- NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports the Patriots are "holding out hope" Rob Gronkowski (back surgery, arm surgery) will be ready for Week 1.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: As to be expected. At this point, there's no reason to unilaterally assume Gronk won't be ready for Week 1 - two and a half months is a long time - but there's still far more reason to believe he won't be ready than will be ready. We're unlikely to get a good read on Gronk's regular season status before mid-August. All we know for now is that he'll start camp on the active/PUP list.
More: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
Mon, Jun 17
- ESPN's Ed Werder reported on SportsCenter Monday that the Patriots legitimately do not know when Rob Gronkowski will return from back surgery.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: "The fact is the Patriots really don't know when he's gonna come back," Werder stated. The Pats will have a better feel once Gronk's back operation is performed Tuesday, but Werder reports Bill Belichick has prepared "many contingencies," and noted New England is currently carrying a league-high seven tight ends on its 90-man roster. Gronkowski will open camp on the PUP list, and we suspect he may stay there into the regular season.
Fri, Jun 14
- Rob Gronkowski will undergo back surgery Tuesday in Los Angeles.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: The recovery time is expected to be 12 weeks; six weeks of rest and six to rebuild strength and resume conditioning. 12 weeks -- or 84 days -- from Tuesday, June 18 would be September 10. The Patriots visit the Bills on September 8, so obviously Gronkowski is going to be in a race to play the opener. Most likely, he won't make it. Gronkowski will open training camp on the active/PUP list. It's not out of the question that he'll stay there for the first six games of the season, although that decision is not imminent. We'll get a better feel for Gronkowski's likely return date in weeks 9-11 of the 12-week recovery.
More: Adam Schefter on Twitter
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- TMZ.com reports Aaron Hernandez was recently sued for allegedly shooting a man in the face in February, but that the suit was dropped after four days, suggesting a settlement.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Things are going downhill quickly for New England's star tight end. It appears the February shooting may have been accidental, but allegedly came in the course of an argument. It's important to note that the entire episode is hearsay since criminal chargers were never filed/pursued, but it's an ominous backdrop to Hernandez being one of the subjects of a Massachusetts murder investigation. Hopefully Hernandez's situation will clarify before the end of the week, and for the better.
More: TMZ.com
Tue, Jun 18Recent News
- According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the "belief" inside Patriots headquarters is that Aaron Hernandez was "not involved" with the murder police are investigating in Attleboro, Mass.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: The facts are changing quickly, but here's what we think we know: Hernandez is simply being questioned, and is not a suspect. 2. A car rented in Hernandez's name is a "key piece of evidence." 3. Hernandez's home is being searched Tuesday evening. The story will likely continue to evolve quickly, but for now there's no reason to assume anything other than Hernandez is having a (really) bad Tuesday. The situation should be updated later this evening.
More: Adam Schefter on Twitter
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Anquan Boldin lined up in the slot during the majority of team drills at 49ers' minicamp.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Entering his age-33 season, Boldin doesn't get open by separating from corners out wide. He wins by dominating them physically and shedding tackles after the catch with his power. That skill set works best in the slot, and that's where he'll do his work for the 49ers. It's not a very high upside position in a run-heavy scheme, and owners drafting off Boldin's eruption during last year's Super Bowl run will be disappointed.
More: Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Wed, Jun 19Recent News
- Julio Jones has cut out beef and pork in an effort to improve his nutrition.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Jones has been influenced by the diet and work ethic of new teammate Steven Jackson. "I feel l much better," he said. "Especially playing football, I feel that stuff sits on you." Still just 24 years old, Jones has already established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. If he didn't have to share targets with Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Jackson, he'd push Calvin Johnson for the title of top fantasy wideout. Last year, Julio ranked 20th in targets but was 11th in yards (1198) and tied for seventh in touchdowns (10).
More: FOX Sports
Tue, Jun 18
- Free agent FB Vonta Leach expects to sign with a new team before training camp.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: NFL camps open in five weeks. Leach thinks he'll have a club in two. "I feel great," he said. "I know I can play in this league and I've got some teams that are courting me. In the next two weeks, I know where I'll be playing." The Greenville Daily Reflector reports the Chiefs are among the teams after Leach. He visited the Dolphins last week and also drew interest from the Giants.
More: Greenville Daily Reflector
Fri, Jun 14
- The Akron Beacon-Journal reports the Browns are not expected to sign free agent FB Vonta Leach.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: The Browns expressed some interest in signing Leach, but Owen Marecic will remain the only fullback on the active roster. Leach was released by the Ravens on Tuesday and has been linked to as many as seven teams.
More: Akron Beacon-Journal
Tue, Jun 18Recent News
- Vick Ballard is expected to open the season as the Colts' No. 2 back.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: The Ahmad Bradshaw signing was a clear indication of GM Ryan Grigson's feelings about his running back corps; he recognized it wasn't good enough with Ballard in the lead role. Ballard will be no more than a low-end flex pick in fantasy drafts. In his AFC Team-by-Team Notes column accessible at the link below, Rotoworld's Evan Silva breaks down the Colts' projected 2013 backfield.
More: AFC Team-by-Team Notes
Tue, Jun 18
- Malcom Floyd is being asked to run completely different routes this season.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: The Chargers are ditching their vertically-oriented passing scheme in favor a plan that emphasizes getting the ball out quickly. It's a no-brainer move as the declining Philip Rivers operates behind one of the league's worst offensive lines. The problem for Floyd is that he's previously only been asked to go deep and use his 6-foot-5 frame to make acrobatic catches. The short routes are not his forte, and he's going to be pushed by Vincent Brown in training camp. Floyd will be overdrafted in most fantasy circles.
More: Union-Tribune San Diego
Tue, Jun 18
- ESPN's Adam Schefter expects Tim Tebow to be the Patriots No. 3 quarterback and inactive for most games this season.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Schefter senses that Tebow will make the final roster, but he describes a developmental quarterback role. We'll probably have to wait until preseason games to find out exactly what Bill Belichick has in mind. For now, there's no tangible evidence that Tebow will be asked to help at tight end.
More: ESPN.com
Tue, Jun 18Recent News
- The Charlotte Observer believes Armanti Edwards is "beginning to look like an NFL receiver," and expects him to keep his roster spot.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Better late than never? Edwards has done absolutely nothing through his first three NFL seasons, but is apparently "running fluid routes and catching the ball in traffic." That's all good and well, but pad-less practices have always been when Edwards shines. We're highly skeptical he'll suddenly be a productive player in 2013, and don't consider his roster spot cinched up.
More: Charlotte Observer
Tue, Jun 18
- Cowboys WR Danny Coale (ACL) is targeting training camp for a full return to practice.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: Coale blew out his knee last November. During OTAs and minicamp, he mostly went through his rehab routine on the side. He needs to be on the field come August to earn a roster spot as insurance in the slot.
More: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Tue, Jun 18
- Mike Williams says Josh Freeman wasn't on the same page with the wideouts in terms of route adjustments last season.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: The Bucs were breaking in new OC Mike Sullivan's offense. "The big problem last year was we couldn't get on the same page, knowing when to break our routes off," Williams said. Now entering their second year in the scheme, the entire organization is expecting Freeman to take a step forward in terms of efficiency. "We know this offense," Williams said. "It's a knowing instead of reacting to something."
More: Tampa Tribune
Tue, Jun 18Recent News
- Second-round WR Justin Hunter (hamstring) isn't participating in Titans minicamp.(Rotoworld.com)
Advice: It means barring an unexpected return on Wednesday or Thursday, the No. 34 overall pick will go into training camp having missed all of OTAs. His toughness has already been questioned by WRs coach Shawn Jefferson, so it's safe to assume coach Mike Munchak isn't thrilled, either. Perhaps it's why Munchak has insisted Nate Washington remains in the Titans' plans after it was previously believed he was good as gone.
More: Jim Wyatt on Twitter