San Francisco 49ers "Draft Prospectus: D-line possibilities"

There's no question that the defensive line is an area of need for the San Francisco 49ers. Although the Niners have a solid nucleus intact, they could still use a few more players to provide depth. After all, one of the keys to a good run defense, especially in a 3-4 scheme, is a fresh line. At Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
the risk of sounding like John Madden doing his Captain Obvious routine, exhausted linemen are much less effective on the field, and the less effective they are, the harder it is for the linebackers to make plays. Because of this, I would not be surprised to see the 49ers snatch up two or three D-linemen in the first few rounds of the upcoming draft. In anticipation, I have written columns profiling linemen Alan Branch, Adam Carriker, Jamaal Anderson, Ikaika Alama-Francis and Paul Soliai over recent weeks. Yet that still isn't enough. As mentioned earlier this week, I was asked to profile some of the defensive linemen whom the Niners could find in the later rounds of the draft, and this is Part Two of my acquiescence to that request.1. Walter Thomas (NT) Northwest Mississippi Community College:I briefly mentioned Thomas in the previous column, and I was asked to do a writeup of him, so here it is. Thomas is a 375-pound mountain of a nose tackle. He originally went to Oklahoma State but was kicked off the team after his freshman season. He has played in just 13 games after graduating from high school, has very little football knowledge, and is about as raw as the fish in a sushi joint. With his weight at 375, you know Thomas is going to have major stamina issues. Worse still, he's almost assured to develop knee and ankle problems due to the weight he's carrying, and he could end up out of football by the time he's 30.Still, Thomas is an intriguing player simply because of his size, so he might be an anchor on a 3-4 defensive line if he gets the right coaching. His upside is enough for him to be drafted, probably in the fifth or six round, but realistically, Thomas probably will not be expected to contribute much more than helping out for 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
a play or two in goal-line and short-yardage situations his first few years in the NFL. To be honest, that might be the only role Thomas ever has in an NFL defense if he can't shed several pounds.2. Ray McDonald - DE/DT - Florida:McDonald weighs in at 276 pounds, but he has a big enough frame to add more weight. He could legitimately play tackle in a 4-3 or on the end in a 3-4, perhaps doing very well in either. The former Gator is an excellent player, and he is surprisingly fast and agile for someone his size. He will probably last only through the midway point of the second round; however, if McDonald somehow slips down to the third, he would be one of the biggest steals of the draft.3. Ryan McBean - DE/DT - Oklahoma State:At 290 pounds, McBean is another player who projects as a tackle in a 4-3 or an end in a 3-4 in the NFL. Even though he is not a fast player on paper (4.98 40-yard dash), he plays fast on the field and is extremely athletic with excellent feet and a quick initial burst. He'll likely still be on the board in the middle to late third round, though there is a chance he could be taken a bit earlier because of his versatility and potential.4. Baraka Atkins - DE - Miami:Baraka is a character in Mortal Kombat who serves the Outworld emperor, Shao Kahn, and has long, razor-sharp blades extending from his forearms. Baraka Atkins is defensive end from the University of Miami. I just wanted to make that distinction to avoid any confusion now or during the draft.All foolishness and video game references aside, Atkins has all the skills and measurables a coach could ask for. He's big (6-4, 270), he's fast (4.69 40-yard dash), and he's strong, but he never really lived up to his potential. In fact, Atkins was actually benched for a lack of production during his senior season. In his defense, though, the Miami coaching staff had no idea what to do with him. First he was a tackle, then he was an end, then he was a tackle, again. This went on four all four years of his Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
career, and Atkins' production suffered because of it. Atkins will probably be available in the fourth round, and he could be a big-time steal if he lasts that long. With the right coaching and a set position on a defense, he could turn into a fantastic player in the NFL. Question? Comment? Complaint? E-mail Thomas at tsorrell .

Fantasy Football Rosters

OK, maybe you've already had your fantasy draft, maybe you haven't. Either way, you should consider your draft strategy for the players on the -- a team that has had lots of fantasy football success in the past few years.We'll assume the most common fantasy league settings here -- 12 teams, no points per reception and team defense points.So who's worth drafting and when should you target them?Let's start with quarterback.Peyton Manning should have another above-average statistical year in 2006 but I don't think he'll be the No. 1 fantasy QB 4 Brett Favre White jersey
this season. Top five? Definitely. Last year he ranked fourth among NFL quarterbacks as his fantasy numbers came back to Earth following that terrific 2004 season.Unlike some, I don't think the loss of Edgerrin James means the team will go back to the pass-happy ways of that season. I tend to believe that as the Colts' defense improved last year, the offense didn't have to step on the gas pedal and pile on points as much. Head coach Tony Dungy's growing confidence in the defense's ability to contain the opponent has yielded a more conservative offensive strategy. And, though the team lost a couple of key starters, the 2006 defense should be dominant again. The core players (Dwight Freeney, Cato June, Bob Sanders) are young and All-Pro-caliber.Advice: Pass on Manning unless he's available in the third or fourth round -- which is very unlikely. Stock up on running backs early instead and get a bargain passer after round five (Mark Bulger, Daunte Culpepper, Donovan McNabb, Drew Bledsoe).Speaking of running backs, let's examine the Colts' big two. With James Mungro lost for the year due to injury, it's looking very much like Dungy will go with a platoon of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai to start the season.But the 5-foot-9, 203-pound Rhodes was used last year more in a traditional third-down role and has only averaged 3.1 carries per game the past three years. Combine that with his history of injuries and my advice is to pass on the 27-year-old this year -- unless you find yourself in need of a third starting running back in round six.Joseph Addai is one of many rookie running backs this preseason getting lots of love in fantasy drafts, generally being taken between rounds five and seven, before Rhodes.Although the Colts haven't had success getting either of their top running backs on track in their first three preseason games, Addai has already gained the confidence of the coaching staff in only four months with his new team.Advice: Draft Addai as third or fourth RB based on his potential. I think the Colts envisioned him as a starter when they used their only first-round draft pick on the former LSU Tiger and it's likely he'll wrestle the role of every-down back from Rhodes sometime this season.Moving on to receivers, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne should each have another very good year in '06 as Indianapolis' top two. But the 27-year-old Wayne has increased his reception total each of the last five years while Harrison's has consistently decreased. This year it's not unreasonable to think their respective touchdown totals will do the same. Like Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams, it appears the torch is slowly being passed from Harrison to Wayne.Advice: Pass on Harrison unless he falls past round four, and grab Wayne instead if you can with your third pick.Mike Vanderjagt capitalized on tons of kicking chances over the past few years. If healthy, Adam Vinatieri will do the same. I don't usually draft a kicker before the final round, but if available say one or two rounds from the end, you can't go wrong with the former New England Patriot.The team's defense was already discussed earlier, and check this out -- after the Colts open the season against a tough New York Giants team, their next four opponents are Houston, Jacksonville, the New York Jets and Tennessee. Advice: Take the Colts' team defense after the first five defenses are drafted and you should score Steelers 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
big on the other side of the ball this fantasy season.What Colts are not worth drafting in 2006? Brandon Stokley, who sat out the entire preseason with injury, and Dallas Clark, who has never been a consistent fantasy scorer.Good luck on your draft and your season. And don't forget to include one or two Colts on that roster of yours.

Joseph Addai New England Patriots Laurence Maroney

This year's best NFL matchup may very well be the against the New England Patriots this Sunday night. In fact, you could say it's got the feel of a midseason Super Bowl game, only without five hours of pregame hype and an overly ambitious halftime show. What's more, it pits two of the most successful rookie running backs of 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
2006 against each other for the first time as pros.On draft day last April, the Patriots took Laurence Maroney with the 21st overall pick. Some say the Colts were high on the University of Minnesota standout and would have grabbed him nine selections later if he was still on the draft board. Instead, Indianapolis "settled" for LSU's Joseph Addai. Understand that Maroney and Addai were two of the top four running backs drafted.So which of the two is making a bigger impact in the league this year as their teams meet in an AFC showdown?Addai impressed the Indianapolis staff enough during training camp to earn a share of the No. 1 job with veteran Dominic Rhodes. And the rookie from Houston, Texas has proven to be a complete back this season. He catches the ball well out of the backfield, finishes his runs hard and has been praised for picking up the blitz.From the first game of the season, Addai and Rhodes have alternated possessions when the offense has the ball. Their workload was virtually the same through six games, though Addai averaged 5.05 yards per carry against Rhodes' 3.25.Then came the game against the Denver Broncos. The Colts gave Addai 17 carries to Rhodes' three. He also caught five passes to Rhodes' three. What this seemed to indicate was the coaching staff's shift toward using Addai as the main back. Though coach Tony Dungy said after the game that the team will continue using a committee approach in the backfield, it's hard to imagine him not calling Addai's number more often in key situations going forward.Maroney, on the other hand, has proven to be a great complementary player for his team so far this season. He splits time in New England's backfield with Corey Dillon and contributes on special teams as a kick returner. His strengths are quickness and agility - which complement Dillon's size and power. And if you saw his 74-yard kick return in the game Monday night against the Vikings, it's obvious Maroney has game-breaking ability as a runner.Unlike Addai, however, he doesn't seem to be on the verge of becoming the lead back on his team any time soon -- at least not this season (barring an injury to his running mate). Coach Bill Belichick appears content using Maroney part time to keep opposing defenses off balance. In fact, his carries have decreased the past few weeks, averaging only eight rushing attempts the past two games after racking up 15.6 in the previous five contests.Maroney probably gets the edge as the 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey White jersey
more explosive running back of the two, possessing more game-breaking athleticism than Addai. But the Colts' rookie is making a bigger impact in the league this season because he has been a more consistent part of his team's offense.This Sunday night in Foxboro we'll get the chance to see them both as their teams go head-to-head in a super matchup featuring two of the AFC's best. analysis,

And Wesley makes four: Ex-Chief shores up Raiders at safety (hopefully)

Over the weekend, " target="_new">safety Greg Wesley reportedly visited with the ; it turns out that team and player liked one another so much that Wesley has signed a one-year contract.Aside from just general principles of swiping an underappreciated vet from an AFC West rival (in this case, the Kansas City Chiefs), the Wesley signing represents a perceptive and well-taken move by the silver and black.Wesley was an unfortunate victim of the Chiefs’ youth movement, having been essentially assured that he’d lose his job to draft pick DeJuan Morgan; a bit 4 Brett Favre White jersey
mysterious is the other 31 teams’ hesitance to make a trade for the 30-year-old Wesley. (On the other hand, who makes trades in the NFL anymore? Oh yeah, Washington and Miami. And New Orleans. And ... ah, forget it.)As late as 2005, Wesley was a top-level safety starting all 16 games for the Chiefs and bagging six interceptions while recording eight passes defensed. In fact, in his first six years with the club after being a third-round pick in 2000, Wesley’s average season featured five interceptions, 66 tackles and one sack. In the high-expectation season of 2006, though, Wesley was another disappointment on a frustrating Kansas City team, suddenly a shadow of his '05 self repeatedly getting burned deep for whatever reason.About a week ago, Wesley was released, leaving behind his nine years, 29 picks and nearly 500 tackles with Kansas City. Fortunately for Raiders fans, again, the man’s only 30 and still has some time to turn his career around and produce for at least a season.Unfortunately for Raiders fans, Wesley has played the attitude monster all this year in expressing his disgruntlement with the Kansas City front office. He self-proclaimed himself “done with the Chiefs” in May, laid out the old “trade me or release me” demand and ultimately took his case to the media, ranting that: "They told me they were going to let me go right when the season was over. This is my livelihood. My career took a little bit of a hit last year. I've been a starter, and then last year they gave a guy my position. There was no competition. They just gave it to him. So it's obvious they don't want me. So why not let me go on my way? Let me get my career back on track. Let me go play. I'm not a backup."Red flags? Sure. What’s that about “my career took a little bit of a hit last year”? A player admitting he lost a step? Perhaps, but probably Wesley is referring to the simple fact that 2007 saw him go his first season as a backup. Bernard Pollard instead got the call at Wesley’s spot while Wesley was used sparingly. "They could have traded me last year,” said Wesley. “They chose not to. I was good about it, didn't cause distractions or problems during the season.”The Raider Nation had better hope that Wesley’s reticence to come off the bench evaporates quickly, because there’s no way Michael Huff and Gibril Wilson are budging from the first 11 on the Oakland ‘D’.On the other hand, if Wesley is happy in the silver and black, he should make the team by dint of necessity alone. In competing for playing time, the names being bandied around for Wesley to overcome include the likes of Rashad Baker, John Bowie, Jarrod Cooper, Darrick Brown and Michael Waddell. In fact, with the secondary Oakland’s building up for Jets 6 Sanchez AFL50th jersey
2008, the Raiders could probably stand pat at safety with Huff, Wilson, Wesley and Tyvon Branch.All in all, then, a decent pickup for the Raiders (if Wesley sticks, that is). A bit of veteran savvy, particularly from a guy with lots of hatred for the Chiefs is always welcome for the Raiders, particularly as a quick-fix solution for a somewhat thin secondary.Huff, Wilson, Wesley and Branch, eh? Not bad.Always appreciating the old guys throughout the year at (21)

running back Lamont Jordan part ways

The Raiders released veteran running back Lamont Jordan on FridayJordan signed a free agent deal with the Raiders before the 2005 season; as a member of Oakland's offense, he rushed for 1,893 yards and nine touchdowns in three seasons. He became expendable with the drafting of 4 Brett Favre White jersey
ex-Arkansas RB Darren McFadden and the contract extension given to 1,000-yard rusher Justin Fargas. Commentary: Jordan had a good season in 2005 - 1,583 total yards, 11 total touchdowns - but injuries have dropped his production immensely since then. Now, potential suitors include New England and New Orleans. Fantasy Impact: If Jordan's able to pass a physical, he could see third-down back duties with the Patriots or Saints. Jordan would hold some value if he's handcuffed with Reggie Bush or Laurence Maroney. (9)
Tommy Kelly is the one defender who took up most of the outside attention during the offseason. That’s what happens when you sign a $50.5 million contract.But Kelly’s not the player the Raiders need taking up most of the attention on the field this season.That important task goes to the mammoth Terdell Sands, a 6-foot-7, 335-pounder who earned his payday a year prior to Kelly. The former undrafted free agent inked a four-year, $17 million deal in February of 2007. Though not nearly as big as Kelly’s deal, Sands’ performance from '07 still left much to be desired.After a promising 2006 campaign that saw Sands rack up a career-high 41 tackles (30 solo) in just two starts, the 28-year-old followed up with a disappointing 23-tackle performance last season. Despite starting 11 games, Sands recorded just 17 solo wrap-ups on a D-line that ranked 31st versus the rush and last in yards against per carry. The veteran lineman’s numbers were nearly identical to those he posted back in 2004, when he started zero games and was used purely as a rotational DT.To the Chattanooga, Tenn., native’s credit, though, there were some reasons behind the major drop-off in production.Sands lost his mother in February of last year, and, as he told the Sacramento Bee, everything else in his life took a backseat.“I wasn’t doing cardio like I should and conditioning, so I kind of got behind in my workouts and stuff,” Sands said last week. “So it was a big part of last year.”Oakland let its ’07 opponents rush for a 30th-ranked 121 first downs last season, something the Raiders expected Sands to help remedy when locking him into a long-term deal.“I take [responsibility for] it all, because they look for me to be a big part of it,” Sands added. “And like I say, I wasn’t mentally in it, so I did some gap responsibility and all my true effort wasn’t out there. I thought I was. But when I watch film, it really wasn’t like I was the year before. So I take responsibility and put it on myself.”This season, Sands expects that effort to return, and the loss of “a bunch of” weight, as he puts it, should make things a bit easier for him.Several early reports, though, have former first-rounder Gerard Warren slated as the starter alongside Kelly, who’s added about 30 pounds to his frame since last season. Still, that’s no lock, particularly considering the team hasn’t yet played its first preseason game. Last week, both tackles spent time on the sidelines at camp; Warren rested after suffering a thigh injury on Dallas Cowboys jersey
Wednesday and Sands had his knee drained Friday. The two will likely battle it out for the remainder of the summer for the title of “starter.” Though, both will see plenty of action this season.“I see myself in shape,” Sands said. “I’m running to the ball more, and I look good. I’m slimmer.”Even with a slimmer frame, Oakland can only hope Sands is as scary as he was in 2006. That could mean a major rebound for the Raider run ‘D’ in 2008.Anthony Carroll can be contacted at Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game! (17)

Warren Sapp

The 2004 season was a chapter in veteran Warren Sapp's eleven-year career that he would surely erase if given the option. When the signed the 300-pound defensive lineman to a 7-year, $36.6 million deal back in 2004 they expected much more than what followed the deal. Yet, Sapp's 4 Brett Favre White jersey
struggles were conceivably the consequence of a 3-4 defensive scheme that simply had no place to accommodate Sapp. This year, with Oakland shifting their focus back to the 4-3, Sapp is showing signs of the Pro-Bowl player that he was back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Last year, Sapp had a career-low 2.5 sacks-along with just 32 solo tackles and zero pass deflections. Following his shift from defensive end to defensive tackle, Sapp already has 12 tackles, a sack, three pass deflections, and an interception. As well, he has been instrumental in making the the eleventh best rush defense in the NFL; despite facing running backs Corey Dillon, Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Brian Westbrook, and Julius Jones.With Warren Sapp's shift back "home" to defensive tackle, look 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
for his refreshing intensity to amount to several big stands for Oakland's defense this year. In the Raiders' first win, Sapp was appropriately in the middle of one of these enormous defensive stands, as Oakland kept Dallas out of the endzone in a late fourth-quarter stand-securing a 19-13 victory over the Cowboys.Sapp is now free to run his big mouth again-as long as he keeps up this energetic play and the organization can keep finding ways to win.

Danny Clark Warren Sapp Ted Washington

: Despite facing running backs Corey Dillon, Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, and Brian Westbrook, the 0-3 have held their opponents to a combined 281 yards rushing in three games. This mark is good for twelfth in the NFL and sixth in the AFC; despite being run at 85 times - a number that only one 43 Polamalu white jersey
team in the top 16 rush defenses has exceeded (Chicago).Attribute this consistent ability to stop the run to the strong play of the defensive line, rookie linebacker Kirk Morrison, and defensive leader Danny Clark. Statistics give little justice to the enormous presence that both veterans Warren Sapp and Ted Washington display on the front line. In week one, these mammoth linemen helped to hold last year's 1635-yard rusher, Corey Dillon, to just 63 yards on 23 carries. In that game, linebackers Clark and Morrison each tallied six tackles. Morrison and Clark are currently ranked sixth and eighth, respectively, in the NFL with a combined 40 tackles.Conversely, the Oakland pass defense has nothing to show for itself thus far in the 2005 NFL season. The are currently positioned second to last in the NFL in total pass defense, behind a 49ers team that allowed for 42 points and five passing touchdowns in week two at Philadelphia. The Oakland secondary has allowed quarterbacks Tom Brady, Trent Green, and Donovan McNabb to throw for exactly 900 yards and four touchdowns.How is this possible for a team whose interception leader is 300-pound Warren Sapp? It's a combination of both a young Raiders secondary and a weak pass rush. Charles Woodson is the oldest starter in the Oakland secondary at the age of 28. Fellow cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is just 24, while strong safety Stuart Schweigert is also 24 and free safety Derrick Gibson is 26. The only member of the Raiders secondary older than 28 is backup cornerback Denard Walker, who has nine years of NFL experience.One way to compensate for a weak secondary: rush the passer. This is something that Oakland has had a problem doing for the last several years. This year is no different. Only Baltimore, who has played one less game, is below Oakland in total sacks thus far this season. The Raiders have reached the quarterback only two times through three games for a total loss of 43 Polamalu black jersey
eight yards. Allowing the opponent's quarterback to sit comfortably in the pocket is only going to make things that much more difficult for Oakland's young secondary.Head coach Norv Turner must mesh together Oakland's pass rush with its secondary in order to keep the Raiders defense off the field and number 18 Randy Moss on the field.