A New Committment II: NFL Head Coach 09

[adembroski]

Tue 3/31/2009 (25 days until the draft)

The Washington Redskins brought in UCLA QB Kendrick Hughes and Washington State RE Andre Dalembert this weekend for individual workouts. Predictably, head coach AJ Dembroski was unable to comment on their performance, but it is a hint that the organization has not decided on a gameplan for draft day. Dalembert is likely to be available at the #4 spot but may not fall too far below that unless questions regarding his skipping out on the combine linger. Hughes is on the 2nd tier of QBs in this draft and is likely to be available when the Redskins select in the second round.

The Redskins roster is in shambles right now. Were the season to start today, the Redskins would be unable to field a team. Only 4 offensive linemen and 3 defensive linemen are under contract, and there are still rumors that DE Jason Taylor could be sent packing. Taylor is still capable of playing at a very high level, but his $7.5 million dollar price tag makes it tough to see the Redskins retaining him given the approach they've taken thus far this off-season.

Other NFL News

The Chicago Bears have signed WR Joe Horn

The Buffalo Bills have signed FS Michael Johnson

The Cleveland Browns have signed FS Husain Abdullah

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed WR Reggie Williams

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed K Alexis Serna

The Miami Dolphins have signed HB Derrick Ward

The Philadelphia Eagles have signed LB Bertrand Berry

The Atlanta Falcons have signed DT Ted Washington

The San Francisco 49ers have signed DE Ryan Denney

The New York Giants have signed LB Rob Morris

The New England Patriots have signed HB Maurice Morris

The Oakland Raiders have signed LT Doug Free

The St.Louis Rams have signed CB R.W. McQuarters and Brent Grimes

The New Orleans Saints have signed DT Chris Hovan

The Seattle Seahawks have signed LG Kyle Kosier and CB Maurice Leggett

The Houston Texans have signed CB Keith Smith

The Tennessee Titans have signed CB Leigh Torrence

The Minnesota Vikings have signed LB Matt Wilhelm and T Max Starks

[adembroski]

Thr 4/02/2009 (23 Days until the draft)


Adam Schefter
I'm Adam Schefter, and here's a quick rundown of the college pro days.

Far and away, the most popular pro day to attend this year was the one in Los Angeles for the National Champion Trojans. It wasn't easy to get a hotel room, but I'm glad I did.

USC had all kinds of players on display. Defensive end Lamaar Marbury was the feature attraction, and he didn't disappoint, but it was the play of secondary players Mario Markland and Ryan Bradlin who really helped their stock with one on one interviews with the NFL scouts. Nothing like a little face to face to get a feel for a player.

Ohio State was also a popular destination, with QB Luke Rambis and WR Jamaal Kidd confirming what scouts already knew; that they were both top 5-10 picks.

One surprise was the number of scouts who made their way down to UL-Lafeyette to see Maurice Ghoggins, who's eye popping combine performance put him on the map. The word I keep hearing from scouts is "raw". He may be a diamond in the rough, but there's a lot of rough, and it's going to take a lot of patience and development before any defensive coordinator is comfortable putting him on the field.

On to the individual workouts, and I'll be back with an update soon!

[adembroski]

Mon 4/06/2009 (19 Days until the draft)


Adam Schefter
I'm Adam Schefter of the NFL Network, and as NFL teams are putting the finishing touches on their draft boards, prospects are getting an opportunity to go one on one with coaching staffs and show what they can do.

All the eyes of the NFL scouting universe were on DE Andre Dalembert this past week, and boy did he put on a show! Every team he worked out for came away drooling. His ankle looks fine, and he ran a 4.57 40 at his last workout showing he's 100% good to go.

HB Kendrick House had some great workouts as well, showing his knee troubles are a thing of the past, but his suspected lack of lateral agility showed.

Texas CB O.J. McClintock is another player who really helped himself with his individuals. Teams came away thinking he was the next Champ Bailey from all of the early reports I've heard so far. He's a lock to go in the top 10, probably the top 5.

A guy who was a little off the radar after an awful performance at the combine, Cameron Perryman really improved his stock. He looks much faster than his 40 time would indicate, and he looks to be a first day selection after his impressive performance.

[adembroski]

NOTE: To eliminate any confusion, there is a Kendrick House (HB Cincinnati) and a Kedrick Hughes (QB, UCLA) available in the draft. They are both late 1st rounders according to the initial reports.

Tue 4/07/2009 (18 days until the draft)
With just under 3 weeks to go before the 2009 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins have been concentrating on the QB position in individual workouts. This is not what incumbent starter Jason Campbell wants to hear. Still, word is out of team headquarters that Campbell isn't being given up on, but that the team believes he would benefit from the push a highly regarded rookie might give him. Its hard to believe Ohio State's Luke Rambis would be a consideration if this was truly the purpose, but any team would be foolish to not give Rambis a look if they're near the top of the board.

FS LaRon Landry has demanded a trade from the Redskins, though no official reason has been given. Landry's personal website has released a statement, only saying "It's time for a change." Word is that the Redskins have given Laundry's agent permission to seek a trade, but have no word if they intend to actually follow through should an offer come through.

Other NFL News

The Chicago Bears have signed LT Torrin Tucker

The Cincinnati Bengals havef signed LB Ben Leber

The Denver Broncos have signed C John Wade and DE Jevon Kearse

The Cleveland Browns have signed QB Damon Huard

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed DE Reggie Hayward

The San Diego Chargers have signed RG Bobbie Williams

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed CB Jason David

The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed LT Orrin Thompson

The New York Jets have signed S Brandon McGowan

The Carolina Panthers have signed CB Alan Ball and G Toniu Fonoti

The New England Patriots have signed WR Mike Furrey

The Oakland Raiders have signed LB Reggie Torbor

The St. Louis Rams have signed C Justin Hartwig

The Seattle Seahawks have signed HB Kenton Keith

The Houston Texans have signed C Casey Wiegmann, DE Josh Thomas, and P Dirk Johnson

The Tennessee Titans have signed CB Fernando Bryant

The Minnesota Vikings have signed HB Andre Hall

[adembroski]

Wed 4/15/2009 (10 Days until the draft)


Adam Schefter
In a strange twist to the LaRon Landry story, after the Washington Redskins reportedly rejected a trade offer from the New England Patriots for the services of the pro bowl safety, Landry became irate, demanding to be released from his contract.

The team has made no official announcement, but it is believed the Redskins did intend to follow through on a trade for Landry, but simply wanted to see if they could get a better offer than the 3rd and 6th rounder they got from the Pats. It's unclear if the team will comply with Landry's latest request.

[adembroski]

Thr 4/16/2009 (9 Days until the draft)


Adam Schefter
The LaRon Landry Saga has come to a quick end. Three days after Landy demanded a trade, and a day after his demand for release, the Redskins have terminated Landry's contract.

Word is that there was an internal dispute between Owner Daniel Snyder and Head Coach A.J. Dembroski as to how to handle the Landry situation, and, as expected, Snyder came out on top. We'll update you with more details as they become available.

[adembroski]

Tue 4/21/2009 (4 days until the draft)
The NFL Draft is only 4 days away and all's quiet on the Free Agent front. The Washington Redskins have stood pat during the opening salvo of free agency, and have lost a lot of big names. The Washington coaching staff seems intent on building through the draft, even if it doesn't exactly agree with owner Daniel Snyder.

It appears there was some conflict between Snyder and head coach AJ Dembroski regarding the LaRon Landry episode. Word is that it was Dembroski who nixed the New England Patriots deal, which reportedly would have brought the Redskins a 3rd rounder this year and a 6th rounder next year, in hopes of finding a better deal. Landry went ape at the rejection of the trade and demanded a release. Dembroski initially said no, that he'd wait for another offer, but Snyder went ahead and terminated the safety's contract anyways.

Other NFL News

The Bengals have signed G Chris Kuper

The Bills have signed CB Benny Sapp, Tyrone Poole, C All Johnson, and G Chester Pitts

The Broncos have signed LB Corey Mays, CB Shawntae Spencer, DT Chris Hoke, and T Kirk Barton

The Bucs have signed DT Hollis Thomas and Chuck Darby

The Chargers have signed S Kelin Johnson

The Chiefs have signed LB Gary Guyton and CB C.J. Wilson

The Colts have signed K Martin Gramatica

The Cowboys have signed RT Rob Petitti and LG Frank Davis

The Eagles have signed CB Fakhir Brown

The 49ers have signed LB David Herron

The Jaguars have signed LT Calvin Armstrong

The Jets have signed LB Jamal Hendrickson, RG Billy Yates, and DT Lionel Dotson

The Packers have signed HB Sammy Morris

The Panthers have signed DT Ronald Fields, DT Dre Moore, and HB Aaron Stecker and Travis Minor

The Patriots have signed S Kenoy Kennedy and Jamar Adams

The Ravens have signed LG Floyd Womack

The Saints have signed DT Tank Johnson, CB Keiwan Ratliff, and K Brandon Coutu

The Seahawks have signed WR Ike Hilliard and RG Ryan Tucker

The Steelers have signed DT Grady Jackson, LG Robert Gallery, and RG Kevin Boothe

The Texans have signed P Matt Turk, DT Barry Booker, and WR Eric Moulds

The Tennessee Titans have signed C Rudy Niswanger and DE Melila Purcell

[adembroski]

Sat 4/25/2009 (Day 1 of the NFL Draft)

Todd McShay
I'm Todd McShay and welcome to the 2009 NFL draft. ESPN's live coverage begins today, and runs through the final round tomorrow.

The all important Top 5 will go to the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and Miami Dolphins. And these teams have quite a selection to choose from.

Luke Rambis out of Ohio State looks like the kind of QB you build around. He's big, smart, and a solid leader. What he lacks in arm strength and athleticism he makes up for with awareness and pin point accuracy. Look for this guy to be off the board quickly, probably to the Chiefs if they don't trade the pick.

Tennessee's start tailback Maceo Sweetney has a lot of people making comparisons to LaDainnian Tomlinson in his prime. He has good feet, a great first step, and break away speed to go along with a six foot, 225 pound frame. Some question his work ethic and his ability to comprehend the NFL game, so it isn't inconceivable to see him slip out of the top five.

Jamaal Kidd from Ohio State is the best receiver in a solid class at that position. He was the most productive receiver in college football the past 2 seasons and has solid physical tools. If there's a knock, it's that he doesn't have elite receivers hands.

Thaddeus Cheeks is a Warren Sapp type of penetrating interior lineman. His size has been questioned, but not his productivity. The guy is a football player, end of story, and his ability to rush the passer from the interior is hard to overlook.

Andre Dalambert was able to shake off the questions surrounding him coming out of the combine. His speed and pass rushing ability have conjured comparisons to Mario Williams. he plays with a mean streak, has exceptional size for the position, and has the potential to get even better with time. There are character questions, however, and concern over his ability to absorb NFL schemes.

We've waited all off-season, so here it is. The chance to change your team's fortunes for years to come. Welcome to the 2009 NFL draft. The Chiefs are on the clock!


2009 NFL Draft; Round 1

* The Kansas City Chiefs are now on the clock...

With the 1st pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Kurt Rambis, QB, Ohio State
Todd McShay's Take A lot of scouts are looking at this kid as the next Tom Brady, and while those are pretty big shoes to fill, he does share some of the same characteristics. He's a true leader on the field, a very accurate passer, and a great game manager. He's a winner, plain and simple, and we got a glimpse of that as he lead the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 record during the regular season. His only loss was in the National Championship game, and ironically, that was his best game of the season, completing 27 of 33 for 375 yards and 3 touchdowns.

With the 2nd pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders select Darrick Conroy, QB, Kansas State
Todd McShay's Take There are freaks, and there are Super Freaks. Chalk Kansas State's Derrick Conroy as a Super Freak. He's already a dangerous runner, and at this point he's still developing as a passer. He has an unorthodox throwing motion and must improve the quickness of his delivery, but good coaching will resolve those issues quickly. His specialty is throwing on the run. In fact, his best plays come on broken plays. Look at The Kansas City Catch, an 80 yard touchdown as time expired to beat Kansas as time expired, way back in his freshman year. That was a broken play. This kid as all the tools to get it done at this level.

The Philadelphia Eagles have traded the #3 overall pick to the Cleveland Browns for the 7th overall pick and a 2010 1st round pick

With the 3rd pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Andre Dalembert, DE, Washington State
Todd McShay's take Andre Dalembert, with his huge wingspan, looks a lot more like a power forward in basketball than he does an NFL defensive end. But rest assured, this kid knows exactly what he's doing at the position. He has blazing speed for a 6'8", 285 LB monster, and that allowed him to lead the nation this past season with 17 sacks. When he's not getting to the quarterback, he's also disrupting the passing lanes. He gets his hands up quickly and bats down a lot of balls at the line of scrimmage.

With the 4th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select Thaddeus Cheeks, DT, Pittsburgh

With the 5th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft the Miami Dolphins select Jamaal Kidd, WR, Ohio State

With the 6th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft the Atlanta Falcons select Tyrus Duhon, WR, Florida
Todd McShay's Take Tyrus Duhon is a very polished receiver. There is tradition of Forida wide recievers who've had great college careers and busted at the next level. That's not going to happen with Duhan. He knows how to beat the press, he catches the ball in traffic, and he's a big time threat when he snatches the ball on the run. While some are pigeonholing Duhan with those other Florida WRs, but I think he's gonna be a big time pro. It wouldn't surprise me to see him in Hawaii on a regular basis.

With the 7th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Maceo Sweetney, RB, Tennessee
Todd McShay's take An every down back, Maceo Sweetney is the complete package at the tailback position. He has 70 catches last season for 805 yards. The bottom line is that Sweetney is the complete package. In addition to running and receiving skills, he was actually a quarterback in high school and he's a decent passer. Watch out for trick plays galore when Maceo Sweetney is on the field. His outstanding individual workout just cemented Sweetney's place as the number one runningback in this year's class.

With the 8th pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the Baltimore Ravens select Montario Tartt III, WR, Auburn
Adam Schefter's Take Monterrio Tartt III is an outstanding value pick right here. he has the talent to be one of the best players in this year's draft, period. He's built a lot like Terrell Owens, "I love me some me!". He's a little bit smaller, but he plays very similar to T.O.. His after the catch skills are tremendous. He'll simply shove most corners off of him with a great stiff arm like the Heismann, and he'll outrun most defenders when he gets in the open field. His hands can betray him at times, though, as balls slip through his hands as if he's got dishwater all of his fingers. Tartt has been known to make some costly drops during his brief college career, and if you're a Ravens fan, watch out for that.

The 49ers have traded the 9th pick to the Chiefs for a 7th round (205th) pick and a 2010 1st round pick.

With the 9th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Marcus Morton, CB, UCLA

With the 10th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select O.J. McClintock, CB, Texas

11. The Houston Texans select DeFazio Combs, WR, Miami
12. The Green Bay Packers select Thomas Dwyer, WR, Indiana
Adam Schefter's Take Thomas Dwyer has been annointed the Next Devin Hester by the majority of the NFL Draft pundits... and I'm one of those pundits. Dwyer can simply fly. He can be the ultimate weapon in the right offensive coordinator's hands. His 40 time is pretty jaw dropping. Cornerback Braylon Bowe-Drew, who'd been the talk of the combine with his ridiculous 4.28 time, just finished his run, while Dwyer was doing an interview with the NFL NEtwork. The questions were coming to him, asking him to comment on Bowe-Drew's time. He stopped the interview right there, took off his jewelry and shoes, ran barefoot, and shocked the NFL Combine officials with a 4.19 40. That's right, a sub 4.2 time! Wow! Just wow.

13. The New York Jets select Courtney Porter, CB, Fresno State
14. The Arizona Cardinals select Ryan Spradlin, FS, USC
15. The Tennessee Titans select Mario Markland, CB, USC
16. The Chicago Bears select LaMaar Marbury, DE, USC
17. The New Orleans Saints have traded the #17 pick to the Washington Redskins for a 3rd round pick and a 2010 1st round pick. The Washington Redskins select Kendrick House, RB, Cincinnati.
Todd McShay's Take It seems everybody back in August and September had Cincinnati's Superstar Runningback Kendrick House projected as the #1 overall pick in this class. Fresh off his Junior Heisman Trophy campaign, House was a slam dunk of a prospect as we've ever seen at the runningback position. He got off to another fast start as a senior in the first three games, rushing for 258 yards vs. Rutgers, 260 vs. West Virginia, and 317 yards at Minnesota. Then came the the injury; House tore is ACL and PCL in his right knee.

18. The Detroit Lions select Drew Trumblee, QB, Louisville
19. The Cincinnati Bengals select Antoine Jefferson, FS, LSU
20. The Buffalo Bills select Jarred Ware, CB, Oklahoma
21. The San Francisco 49ers select Maurice Ghoggins, ROLB, UL Lafayette
22. The St. Louis Rams select Marcus Magloire, TE, UCF
23. The Minnesota Vikings select Martin McPeek, LB, Michigan
Todd McShay's Take A true tackling machine, McPeek lead Michigan in tackles for 3 seasons. He has great instincts and a real nose for the ball. He sniffs out draws and screens, has a great motor, and never gives up on a play.

24. The Jacksonville Jaguars select JaMario Baston, WR, Tennessee
25. The Pittsburgh Steelers select Elton Garnett, RG, TCU
26. The Philadelphia Eagles select Mase Johnson, SS, Texas
27. The San Diego Chargers select Renaldo Moon, CB, Illinois
28. The Cowboys have traded the 28 pick to the Lions for a 2010 2nd round pick, a 2010 3rd round pick, and a 2010 5th round pick. The Detroit Lions select Latroy Jackson, LB, Wake Forest
29. The New York Giants select Shaun Scobee, RT, Arizona State.
30. The New England Patriots select Cooper Hooper, TE, Boston College
31. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Patrick Fox, LT, North Carolina
32. The Indianapolis Colts select Jayshaun Ralls, LB, Hawaii

Washington Redskins First Round Review
The Redskins defied all that was expected of them and went after a DT, Thaddeus Cheeks, with the #4 overall pick, after spending most of the off-season scouting quarterbacks. They traded up into the 1st round again to snag Kendrick House with the #17 pick.

This gives the Redskins that hard to find interior pass rusher so desperately needed in the Tampa 2 defense, and a back to build around if House returns to Heisman form.