Football

Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; Detail view of an NFL football before the AFC championship game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports So here we are. Still sludging our way through the NFL Off Season. Bear with me as I try to keep your football pulse alive by giving my take on the Tight End position’s top 15. Instead of the standard order of going QB, WR, RB, TE, K and D, I though I’d bounce it around a little.We know it’ll be a while before we’re drafting any TE’s from Jacksonville, so unfortunately we won’t be seeing Marcedes Lewis on here any time soon. And keep in mind, this is MY OPINION and these ranking will change up until the kick off of the season opener. To me the TE is the hardest position to draft for. This is due to having only 3 studs….. and then everyone else. You could take one, but may miss out on a stud running back or wideout. My strategy has been this: try to get one of the big 3, if I fail to do so, then I draft two really good ones and rotate them week to week based off of production and match ups. 1. Rob Gronkowski- I struggled with the top three. Especially with Gronk’s medical issues (his arm is infection free at the moment). But Brady needs a new security blanket and Gronk has quickly developed into this during his time in New England. Minus Welker out of the equation and there you have it. 2. Jimmy Graham- Brees is generous with the ball. Graham is a match up nighmare that doesn’t need to be open to get the ball. Sean Payton is back and will make sure Graham maintains his dominance. 3. Aaron Hernandez- It doesn’t really matter which one of the top three you draft IMO. Just as long as you have one. The TE’s could easily dominate the passing game in New England next year. 4. Vernon Davis- Crabtree is in all likelyhood, out for the season (Achilles tear). Delanie Walker is no longer there. And it’ll take time for Anquan Boldin to build chemisty with Kap. He could have a monster year. 5. Tony Gonzalez- They’ll have a legitamite run game this year, giving the Falcons one of the most well rounded skill position rosters in the NFL. They fell short of going to the Super Bowl. Gonzalez ain’t going out like that this year. 6. Martellus Bennett- The Bears now have a TE that can catch the ball. They have a QB that can throw the ball. There you go. 7. Jason Witten- I really wanted to put him higher, but I think Dez Bryant is the new Sherrif in town. Still, he’ll have a good year or two before the Escobar era begins. 8. Kyle Rudolph- Besides AP, he’ll be Ponder’s most trusted weapon. 9. Dwayne Allen- I‘ll get a lot of boos for putting him this high, but Indy is switching up their offense. This means Luck won’t be forced to throw bombs down field all day. My only reservation would be Fleener poaching from him. 10. Dennis Pitta- Him and Flacco are BFFs. Rice in the back, Pitta in the middle and Smith out deep. 11. Jermichael Finley- I truely believe their improved back field will help solve a lot of their problems. Finley will return to form. 12. Greg Olsen- Cam Newton came on strong in the second half of last season. This is a shining spot on Olsen’s outlook. 13. Antonio Gates- Remember when Gates dominated the TE position? Vaguely? The new regime will try to resesitate him. 14. Brandon Pettigrew- He’s got a cannon throwing him the ball. Not much reciever depth either. 15. Owen Daniels- In theory, the addition of Hopkins should spread the secondary. Feel free to comment back. I’d be curious to see who you’d take higher or lower. -Jason Abarca

Every Thursday on ESPNBoston.com, there is a Patriots chat in the early afternoon. Today's chat is scheduled to kick off at noon, and questions can be asked in advance. Catch up then.

Cowboys Notebook From Inside OTAs « CBS Dallas / Fort WorthMike Fisher delivers his OTA observations a day late, but not a dollar short. Here's one of many interesting observations: "I noticed the Cowboys working on a little Pistol wrinkle. This is not meant as a read-option play, but rather to help the running back – lined up directly behind the QB, who is three yards back rather than seven yards back as in the Shotgun — with pass-blocking angles." Carter Will Thrive In 4-3; WR Williams Catching On - DC.comBryan Broaddus expands on his earlier OTA summary and takes deeper look at Frederick, Carter, Kowalski and Callaway, and ruminates on the roster battles at wide receiver and safety. Garrett on Dez Bryant: "We watch the tape and say, ‘Boy, you can play so much better. So much better.’ ” The Cowboys are already very high an Dez Bryant, and think he can do even better than the 1,382 yards, 12 TD effort of last year. “He’s really , really a joy to coach,” Garrett said. “He has such passion for the game. He loves it. He loves his teammates. He loves to play.” Who are the Cowboys' 'one jersey' players? - ESPN DallasOn the occasion of Brian Urlacher's retirement, Todd Archer writes a nice piece on Cowboys 'one jersey' players: players who played every snap of their NFL career for the Cowboys. Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin are the most recent exmples, but Archer argues that Witten, Romo and Ware could be next on the list. Draft Profile: B.W. Webb - Bob SturmBob Sturm continues his in-depth look at the Cowboys' draft picks with B.W. Webb. "Again, this cannot be over-stated. This team has not enjoyed corner depth over the years where they have even opened the season recently with just 3 corners on the roster (2011). But, now, after losing Mike Jenkins, they appear to have an option in Webb that can help them cover themselves. He is not strictly a slot corner, but that is his natural NFL spot, it appears, provided he can handle runs to his side. I think the attributes that will serve him well are clearly his battle and desire to mix things up. He is a very aggressive, emotional, and competitive player - all things that you look for in a corner who is going to be attacked on a regular basis until he proves he belongs on Sundays." Anthony Hargrove hopes to take advantage of another chance - Star-TelegramDefensive tackle Anthony Hargrove’s NFL career has been about as erratic as it can possibly be. He hasn't played football in almost a year and is now already on his seventh team. But Hargrove sounds like he's determined to look forward and take advantage of his last chance at organized football. Steve Spurrier 2.0 - ProFootballTalkRon Jaworski says Chip Kelly’s Oregon offense won’t work in the NFL. Eli Manning is missing his wide receivers - ESPN NFC East BlogNo, this is not about Manning's embarrassingly low career completion rate of just 58.6%, which ranks him 26th among all active quarterbacks, just one spot ahead of Cowboys backup QB Kyle Orton. This is about Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, who are both no-shows at Giants OTAs over contract disputes. Watkins suspended for opener - San Antonio Express-NewsUnfortunately, this article is about St. Louis Rams offensive lineman Rokevious Watkins. More Cowboys Coverage Dez Bryant May Be Comfortable But Not Complacent Building The Cowboys Roster: 2014 Draft and Positions of Strength Dallas Cowboys Rookies: Evaluating The Playing Time of Recent Rookie Classes Cowboys OTA Day One: Video Recap Plus Guestimate Depth Charts Dallas Cowboys OTA Wrapup 05/21/13

Nov. 25, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA: Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (90) against the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports In 2012 the Arizona Cardinals ran a 3-4 defense under former defensive coordinator Ray Horton. The defense was confusing and aggressive as Horton was unafraid of dialing up pressures on apposing offenses. Horton’s scheme allowed players like Daryl Washington to shine, however a player like Darnell Dockett had a poor year because his responsibilities in the scheme did not fit his skill set. Dockett is the type of player that makes his living in the backfield and playing in a 2-gap defensive front certainly isn’t one of his strengths. Dockett’s age (31) has lead many to believe that he is not the player he once was. Nevertheless Dockett seems as motivated as ever to prove his doubters wrong and make the 2013 NFL season a successful one. The Cardinals opened the 2012 regular season against the Seattle Seahawks. According to Pro Football Focus Dockett registered 10 quarterback disruptions and six defensive stops in the run game  (subscription required). It seemed like the defensive lineman was setting the stage for a monster season, but unfortunately he failed to grade positively for the remainder of the season with the exception of Week 11 versus the Atlanta Falcons. How can the 2013 NFL season be  one of resurgence for Dockett and how can the coaching staff put him in position to be successful? It all starts with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who plans to install a 3-4 defensive scheme similar to Horton’s scheme. In contrast to Horton’s 2-gap scheme, Bowles will implement a 1-gap scheme that will allow Dockett to use his explosiveness to attack gaps and be disruptive. The coaching staff also plans on allowing Dockett to play different alignments along the defensive line and allow him to take advantage of mismatches on passing downs. Attitude plays a big part in a players sucess. It is hard not to notice how Dockett attitude has changed since the end of the 2012 NFL season. The new coaching staff and scheme appear to be a fresh air to Dockett and it seems that he is solely focused on the 2013 NFL season. If Dockett can maintain his high level of focus, look for him to bounce back and have a steller 2013 NFL season. Aug 5, 2012; Canton, OH, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Chase Daniel (10) runs past Arizona Cardinals defensive end David Carter (79) during the first half of a preseason game at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports Another player that could have a breakout season in 2013 is David Carter. Carter doesn’t garnish much attention from fans or the media but he could have an impact on the defensive line as a rotational player. Carter is a versatile player that can play anywhere across the defensive line; he can play nose tackle and defensive end in a 3-4 defense. This type of versatility allows the other starting linemen to rest and it also gives the Cardinals a solid rotation on the defensive line. Carter a 6th round pick in 2011 from UCLA was mostly a backup to nose tackle Dan Williams in his first NFL season. In 2012 he was still the back up nose tackle but he also was able to to start in place of  Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell when they where forced to sit out because of injury. Carter started four games in 2012, his first start was against the Atlanta Falcons. Against the Falcons Carter registered three quarterback hurries and one batted down one pass, while grading positive against the run(stats available by Pro Football Focus). In Bowles defense scheme, Carter will continue to play multiple positions. If the Cardinals employ some 4-3 looks, Carter becomes more valuable as he is capable of playing anywhere on the interior of the defensive line and possibly can play strong side defensive end in certain defensive fronts. In 2013 I fully expect to

This week on the BSR Podcast, the guys discuss Kevin Gausman‘s promotion, Jim Johnson‘s recent struggles, the Orioles snapping their six-game losing streak and Jab’s new neighbor. Join Zach, Patrick, Matt and Jab for this week’s edition of the best sports podcast in Baltimore, the BSR Podcast. Subscribe to the BSR Podcast on iTunes or listen on Stitcher Radio. Follow Zach Wilt, Matt Lund, Patrick Guthrie, Jabby Burns and The BSR Podcast on Twitter. You can get in touch with the BSR Podcast by sending your emails to podcast@baltimoresportsreport.com. The post BSR Podcast: It’s Kevin Gausman Time appeared first on Baltimore Sports Report.

Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson wasn't expected to be on a football field until July as he continued his rehab following surgery to fix a broken leg. He admits that he is not at full strength, but he was taking part in organized team activities earlier this week. quot;It's as healed up as it's going to get," Burleson said of his repaired right leg, via The Detroit News. "The good thing about being out there is I am playing at a high level and I am not 100 percent. When it gets stronger and I get endurance back in it, I will be back to play with extreme confidence." One Lion who is being held out of action is running back Mikel Leshoure. Head coach Jim Schwartz didn't specify what Leshoure's injury actually is. "He's battling some stuff," Schwartz said. "He can do some individual stuff but he's not ready to do any team work." FANTASY ANALYSIS: It's May, and Leshoure is already banged up. Brilliant. He will be a complementary player behind Reggie Bush this year with most of his value coming from potential goal-line touches. I will be staying away from him. It's impressive that the 31-year-old Burleson is months ahead of schedule in his recovery. He could be very important to a Lions offense that lacks a clear No. 2 WR right now. The team may look to Burleson to fill that role for most of the season, at least until Ryan Broyles returns from his ACL tear. That's a sweet gig for any wide receiver in a pass-happy offense, but Burleson should be drafted as a WR5.

Written by Marc Caviglia In January we were asked to participate in Dynasty Football Warehouse’s first fantasy football mock draft of the 2013 season. The 2013 fantasy football mock draft was Dynasty based and was a 20 round draft. Every owner was required to start a QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, Flex, TE, K, DEF in PPR scoring. You can view our team, as well as round-by round analysis here: 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft (January). As you all know, a lot has changed since January, and our good friend over at Dynasty Football Warehouse have invited us back for another fantasy football mock draft. The owners are the same, however this time around we are allowed to draft current rookies from the 2013 NFL Draft. So if you are wondering where you should draft the NFL’s newest rookies in a dynast format fantasy football league, check out our 2013 fantasy football mock draft. PPR Scoring Pass TD: 4 points | All Other TDs: 6 points 25 Passing Yards: 1 point | All Turnovers: - 2 points 10 Rushing Yards: 1 point | 10 Receiving Yards: 1 point | Reception: 1 point Now, let’s jump right into the ROUND 5 results of the 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft (May) hosted by Dynasty Football Warehouse. 2013 Fantasy Football Dynasty Mock Draft - Round 5 Results (May) 5.01 Pro Football Focus I: Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco 49ers 5.02 Zach Law: Vick Ballard, RB, Indianapolis Colts 5.03 Wild Thing Football: Wes Welker, WR, Denver Broncos 5.04 Fantasy Football Xtreme I: Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers 5.05 Dynasty Football Warehouse: Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego Chargers 5.06 Draft Calc: Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns 5.07 Fantasy Taz: Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos 5.08 Pro Football Focus II: Robert Griffin, QB, Washington Redskins 5.09 X’s and Y’s Podcast: Jason Witten, WR, Dallas Cowboys 5.10 Bruno Boys: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers 5.11 Fantasy Football Xtreme II: Mike Wallace, WR, Miami Dolphins 5.12 Football Guys: Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers Round 5 Reaction: Stewart isn’t the trendiest of picks, however he needs to breakout at some point and with this selection I am gambling that it’s in 2013. I debated Jason Witten and Colin Kaepernick, however Witten went to a savvy owner the pick before me and when it was my turn I just couldn’t pull the trigger on Kaepernick with so much solid quarterback talent still on the fantasy football draft board. Injuries and poor play led to Stewart averaging just 3.6 yards per carry (YPC) in nine games last season, however the hard nosed runner averages 4.7 YPC over his career and has a nose for the end zone. He enters the season as my RB3 and if given the opportunity (250 touches) you can expect over 1,000 rushing yards and 8-10 scores. Bruno Boys Picks: 1.10 Bruno Boys: Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks 2.03 Bruno Boys: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos 3.10 Bruno Boys: Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers 4.03 Bruno Boys: Darren Sproles, RB, New Orleans Saints 5.10 Bruno Boys: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers OTHER ROUNDS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20

Sup peeps. I know its late may, shouldve gotten this up earlier. My apologies, but its here anyway. I felt the film on pugh out there doesnt show enough of his strengths so I made a highlight reel of all his best blocks from the 2012 ncaa college football season mixed in with some 2011 stuff, but not a lot. Enjoy, its truly my pleasure As far as his weaknesses go, its not in the video, but he can work on improving his upper body strength. He struggles on intial contact or a good punch to the chest, and he doesnt have the length to compensate for it. But he does a great job of recovering and re-creating leverage. You can see that on some of the run blocks in that highlight reel above. In my opinion I think he'll be a real solid tackle for us. Just my two cents Sup peeps. I know its late may, shouldve gotten this up earlier. My apologies, but its here anyway. I felt the film on pugh out there doesnt show enough of his strengths so I made a highlight reel of all his best blocks from the 2012 ncaa college football season mixed in with some 2011 stuff, but not a lot. Enjoy, its truly my pleasure As far as his weaknesses go, its not in the video, but he can work on improving his upper body strength. He struggles on intial contact or a good punch to the chest, and he doesnt have the length to compensate for it. But he does a great job of recovering and re-creating leverage. You can see that on some of the run blocks in that highlight reel above. In my opinion I think he'll be a real solid tackle for us. Just my two cents

Steelers tight end Heath Miller spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since tearing three ligaments in his right knee in Week 16 last season. During the press conference, Miller said he is running but not at full speed. Miller also said quot;there's a chance" that he can play by Week 1, but it's a little too early to draw conclusions. "It's a long time before training camp, so that's a long time to make gains positively or maybe even for something to happen negatively," Miller said. "So, I'm just taking one day at a time, and I hope to get better every day." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Miller is 30 years old and will turn 31 in October. Even without this injury, he should be heading into his NFL twilight years. But with this major knee injury, he faces long odds of reaching his previous numbers. He was unexpectedly solid last season, but even among a relatively weak tight end class, he is nothing more than an uninspiring TE2 this season. Matt Spaeth, David Paulson and David Johnson are the other tight ends on the Steelers' roster, so ... yeah, nothing much to like here.

This is one of our daily threads. One is posted each week day and then another one to cover Sat/Sun. We provide this as a place for Dolphins fans and even our friends from other blogs to come and talk all things football or otherwise. This is an open thread so if you see someone not talking football do not get offended but also do not be afraid to throw out your HSO's (hot sports opinions) out on the latest Dolphins move or non move. As this is a day time thread and not a night time CKC please keep the conversation PG. Also I do not care if you post picks during these thread's but try and keep them at or below the maximum of three per person and as always place something in the subject line so that people may close them. Also please to not post very large images or GIF's. These rules are to keep the thread load time from slowing down for those on slower connections. We invite you to follow The Phinsider on Twitter, like The Phinsider on Facebook, add The Phinsider to your Google+ Circles, and follow our podcast on BlogTalkRadio. This is one of our daily threads. One is posted each week day and then another one to cover Sat/Sun. We provide this as a place for Dolphins fans and even our friends from other blogs to come and talk all things football or otherwise. This is an open thread so if you see someone not talking football do not get offended but also do not be afraid to throw out your HSO's (hot sports opinions) out on the latest Dolphins move or non move. As this is a day time thread and not a night time CKC please keep the conversation PG. Also I do not care if you post picks during these thread's but try and keep them at or below the maximum of three per person and as always place something in the subject line so that people may close them. Also please to not post very large images or GIF's. These rules are to keep the thread load time from slowing down for those on slower connections. We invite you to follow The Phinsider on Twitter, like The Phinsider on Facebook, add The Phinsider to your Google+ Circles, and follow our podcast on BlogTalkRadio.