DeToxRox
08-27-2005, 06:59 PM
http://nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/8775236
Dayne in, Clarett likely out in Denver
By Adam Schefter
NFL Analyst
In the slot he was drafted, Clarett was entitled to receive $410,000 in signing bonus. But he rejected it, opting for $7 million worth of incentives, figuring he was good enough to earn it. Had Denver paid Clarett the money, it would have been more obligated to keep him than it is now. Now, Clarett is expected to be released if not in the Broncos' first-round of cuts, then certainly their second.
Clarett is expected to be one of the highest profile cuts in the NFL when the full cut lists become available on Aug. 30 and Sept. 4. And for now -- and events always are subject to change -- Denver has decided against placing Clarett on injured reserve, where he would have missed the coming season and had a chance to fully recover from the groin injury the running back claimed he incurred earlier this summer.
One of the biggest reasons Clarett is not expected to make it in Denver is the lack of maturity he demonstrated during the summer. He had a warped perception of his talents, thus bypassing a signing bonus for incentives. Clarett also agitated some of his teammates for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was conducting national TV interviews before he had accomplished anything on the field -- or even gotten on the field.
But just as Clarett created a buzz on draft day, he now will do the same on cut day. But with all the teams that were thought to like him on draft day -- Cleveland, Dallas, Jacksonville -- Clarett isn't expected to be out of work long. At least one is expected to claim him on waivers.
A GREAT DAYNE
One of the ironies of the situation is that Clarett got beat out for a job by another former Big 10 back that was written off in New York the way Clarett is now being written off in Denver.
This will come as a surprise to Giants fans, but former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne has shined this summer in the way he was supposed to when New York made him a first-round draft choice. Dayne has run hard, authoritatively and with a sense of purpose.
Ron Dayne may have found a home in the Broncos backfield.
Ron Dayne may have found a home in the Broncos backfield.
He is the Broncos' leading rusher this preseason, carrying the football 29 times for 143 yards, a 4.9 yards per carry average -- 1.4 yards per carry more than he averaged on his 585 attempts in five seasons in New York.
He has drawn so much attention that even the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost running back Correll Buckhalter this week to a season-ending injury, made trade inquiries for Dayne that Denver quickly rebuffed. Dayne, who is playing on a one-year deal in Denver, would have been a great fit in Philadelphia, but the Broncos now like him too much.
Right now, Mike Anderson is running as the Broncos' first-team running back, and Tatum Bell as the second-string running back. But the way he has looked this summer, Dayne is vying for playing time in a system that has turned running backs such as Olandis Gary and Reuben Droughns into stars.
ABOUT THE GOAT
Before Denver signed wide receiver Jerry Rice, the Greatest Of All Time, there were concerns about what the organization would have to do if it had to cut him. Fortunately, it won't. Rice will make the Broncos' final roster; he has been too impressive on, and off, the field this summer for Denver to release him.
Yet because Rice makes it, one less young wide receiver will not. Chances are it's last year's sixth-round draft pick, Triandos Luke, who also has served as a returner for Denver. But Rice will get to play his -- gasp! -- 21st NFL season. The GOAT just keeps on grazing.
NO. 10 READY FOR SEPT. 11
It will be a huge upset if Giants quarterback Eli Manning and his sprained right elbow play in New York's Thursday night preseason finale at New England. The Giants are expected to hold out Manning from their last preseason game, and then try to get him ready for the Sept. 11 opener against Arizona.
Those close to Manning are expecting him to play the opener; that is now the Giants focus, as it should be. But if the regular season kicked off today, Manning still would be expected to play, giving the ultimate indication the he will be ready for the regular-season opener. But with a preseason finale in which many starters are rested anyway, there's no reason for the Giants to trot out Manning and subject him to possibly aggravating him the injury.
But there is nothing structurally wrong with the stretched ligaments in Manning's elbow. Three doctors have confirmed this to him, giving Manning and the Giants big-time relief.
BROWNIE POINTS
We still don't know how improved the Cleveland Browns will be this season. But they will be vastly improved in 2006.
The Browns front office, led by President/CEO John Collins and Senior Vice President/GM Phil Savage, has sacrificed some short-term gain for lots of long-term gain. This season, the Browns have $15 million worth of dead money counting against their salary cap. But by counting the money against this season's cap, the Browns already are a whopping $25 million under next season's salary cap, and that number is expected to grow beyond a huge $30 million.
This means the Browns will have money to upgrade their team however they see fit. One area the team is expected to upgrade is offensive line and, interestingly enough, the top free-agent offensive lineman, New Orleans' LeCharles Bentley, is from Cleveland. He grew up a Browns fan, played at Ohio State and, chances are, he could envision returning home.
Cleveland is set up to bring him home -- along with plenty of other talent.
COWBOY UP
Get ready to Cowboy up for a summer that could include plenty of Cowboys going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Now that the veterans committee has selected former Dallas offensive tackle Rayfield Wright as one of the two senior candidates for induction into the Hall of Fame, the Cowboys have three bona fide candidates for the Class of 2006, the other two being wide receiver Michael Irvin and quarterback Troy Aikman.
And it's not like one franchise hasn't sent three players to Canton in one class before. Back in 2000, the San Francisco watched proudly as Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott and Dave Wilcox were inducted in the same year. Now the Cowboys, who haven't had a player selected to the Hall of Fame since 1996, are poised to send three more.
Dayne in, Clarett likely out in Denver
By Adam Schefter
NFL Analyst
In the slot he was drafted, Clarett was entitled to receive $410,000 in signing bonus. But he rejected it, opting for $7 million worth of incentives, figuring he was good enough to earn it. Had Denver paid Clarett the money, it would have been more obligated to keep him than it is now. Now, Clarett is expected to be released if not in the Broncos' first-round of cuts, then certainly their second.
Clarett is expected to be one of the highest profile cuts in the NFL when the full cut lists become available on Aug. 30 and Sept. 4. And for now -- and events always are subject to change -- Denver has decided against placing Clarett on injured reserve, where he would have missed the coming season and had a chance to fully recover from the groin injury the running back claimed he incurred earlier this summer.
One of the biggest reasons Clarett is not expected to make it in Denver is the lack of maturity he demonstrated during the summer. He had a warped perception of his talents, thus bypassing a signing bonus for incentives. Clarett also agitated some of his teammates for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was conducting national TV interviews before he had accomplished anything on the field -- or even gotten on the field.
But just as Clarett created a buzz on draft day, he now will do the same on cut day. But with all the teams that were thought to like him on draft day -- Cleveland, Dallas, Jacksonville -- Clarett isn't expected to be out of work long. At least one is expected to claim him on waivers.
A GREAT DAYNE
One of the ironies of the situation is that Clarett got beat out for a job by another former Big 10 back that was written off in New York the way Clarett is now being written off in Denver.
This will come as a surprise to Giants fans, but former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne has shined this summer in the way he was supposed to when New York made him a first-round draft choice. Dayne has run hard, authoritatively and with a sense of purpose.
Ron Dayne may have found a home in the Broncos backfield.
Ron Dayne may have found a home in the Broncos backfield.
He is the Broncos' leading rusher this preseason, carrying the football 29 times for 143 yards, a 4.9 yards per carry average -- 1.4 yards per carry more than he averaged on his 585 attempts in five seasons in New York.
He has drawn so much attention that even the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost running back Correll Buckhalter this week to a season-ending injury, made trade inquiries for Dayne that Denver quickly rebuffed. Dayne, who is playing on a one-year deal in Denver, would have been a great fit in Philadelphia, but the Broncos now like him too much.
Right now, Mike Anderson is running as the Broncos' first-team running back, and Tatum Bell as the second-string running back. But the way he has looked this summer, Dayne is vying for playing time in a system that has turned running backs such as Olandis Gary and Reuben Droughns into stars.
ABOUT THE GOAT
Before Denver signed wide receiver Jerry Rice, the Greatest Of All Time, there were concerns about what the organization would have to do if it had to cut him. Fortunately, it won't. Rice will make the Broncos' final roster; he has been too impressive on, and off, the field this summer for Denver to release him.
Yet because Rice makes it, one less young wide receiver will not. Chances are it's last year's sixth-round draft pick, Triandos Luke, who also has served as a returner for Denver. But Rice will get to play his -- gasp! -- 21st NFL season. The GOAT just keeps on grazing.
NO. 10 READY FOR SEPT. 11
It will be a huge upset if Giants quarterback Eli Manning and his sprained right elbow play in New York's Thursday night preseason finale at New England. The Giants are expected to hold out Manning from their last preseason game, and then try to get him ready for the Sept. 11 opener against Arizona.
Those close to Manning are expecting him to play the opener; that is now the Giants focus, as it should be. But if the regular season kicked off today, Manning still would be expected to play, giving the ultimate indication the he will be ready for the regular-season opener. But with a preseason finale in which many starters are rested anyway, there's no reason for the Giants to trot out Manning and subject him to possibly aggravating him the injury.
But there is nothing structurally wrong with the stretched ligaments in Manning's elbow. Three doctors have confirmed this to him, giving Manning and the Giants big-time relief.
BROWNIE POINTS
We still don't know how improved the Cleveland Browns will be this season. But they will be vastly improved in 2006.
The Browns front office, led by President/CEO John Collins and Senior Vice President/GM Phil Savage, has sacrificed some short-term gain for lots of long-term gain. This season, the Browns have $15 million worth of dead money counting against their salary cap. But by counting the money against this season's cap, the Browns already are a whopping $25 million under next season's salary cap, and that number is expected to grow beyond a huge $30 million.
This means the Browns will have money to upgrade their team however they see fit. One area the team is expected to upgrade is offensive line and, interestingly enough, the top free-agent offensive lineman, New Orleans' LeCharles Bentley, is from Cleveland. He grew up a Browns fan, played at Ohio State and, chances are, he could envision returning home.
Cleveland is set up to bring him home -- along with plenty of other talent.
COWBOY UP
Get ready to Cowboy up for a summer that could include plenty of Cowboys going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Now that the veterans committee has selected former Dallas offensive tackle Rayfield Wright as one of the two senior candidates for induction into the Hall of Fame, the Cowboys have three bona fide candidates for the Class of 2006, the other two being wide receiver Michael Irvin and quarterback Troy Aikman.
And it's not like one franchise hasn't sent three players to Canton in one class before. Back in 2000, the San Francisco watched proudly as Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott and Dave Wilcox were inducted in the same year. Now the Cowboys, who haven't had a player selected to the Hall of Fame since 1996, are poised to send three more.