http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3319 Recent articles about Asante Samuel en-us Determined to reclaim the starting quarterback position with authority after backup Jeff Garcia led the Philadelphia Eagles to a playoff berth in 2006, Donovan McNabb started the season in solid fashion. The sports hernia injury he suffered that paved the way for Jeff Garcia two years ago was healed and McNabb proved he still had it in him as he played in 14 games – the most since 2004 – and threw for 3,324 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 61.5 percent of his passes. Unfortunately, the Eagles did not have the playmakers necessary for the rest of the offense to succeed as the team fizzled its way to an 8-8 record. Make sure to read more of what Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff writer Cory Steger has to say about the Philadelphia Eagles and their fantasy football worthy players heading into the 2008 season by clicking below... Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:59:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287801 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287801 CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco is out with his annual Top 50 NFL Players list, and three Eagles made the list - RB Brian Westbrook, new CB Astante Samuel and Guard Shawn Andrews.  Here is the breakdown on three Eagles: 20. Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: It's scary to think what the Eagles offense would be like [...] Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:09:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287571 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287571 May and June certainly isn't the time to read too much into the state of an NFL football team. But we are in July now, and perhaps this time just before training camp is the perfect time to look at what the prospects for the upcoming season are, especially when compared to previous years. There are a few very important things that stand out to me at this point. I remember an article by Dave Spadaro about the same time last year, where he posed the question: "Is it a good thing or a bad thing that the biggest position battle is between the punters?" This is a good point to start from. He went on to say that time will tell. Obviously that is in the history books now, and time has indeed told. It was not good for this team. During training camp last year the biggest question marks involved the punter and the development of Broderick Bunkley. That was it. Looking back, this may have been a factor involved in the release of Jeremiah Trotter. A year on, it is clear that the linebackers that have replaced him and Takeo Spikes is a source of good competition. And eventhough I still yearn to have Trot on the field in green on Sundays, I must admit that the prospect of the current linebacking corps gets me very excited. This could be an example of where increased competition has improved the team. The linebackers are a very interesting group, with a good amount of competition between them. Eventhough Omar Gaither, Stewart Bradley and Chris GoCong may be penciled in as the starters, competition dosn't have to refer to direct competition. The competition between the linebackers is primarily one where each one of them needs to prove that they are indeed the real deal. And having three young, energetic men vying for respect can be a devastatingly good thing. The important factor is that they seem to have a good relationship, which means that they will push each other in a positive way. The athleticism of this group is further evidence of the good things that youth and competition brings. Stewart Bradley is the prime example. He is bigger than Patrick Willis, Jon Beason and Paul Posluszny (6'3'', 254lbs), and he is more explosive than them (4.17 shuttle time). GoCong and Bradley tied for the lead among this group in bench reps (28). Of course, these are just combine numbers and they don't matter much on game day. But the point is that this group is primed to be an example of how good competition can be for a team. During training camp last year, I also distinctly remember William James proclaiming himself ready to take over Sheldon Brown's job at cornerback. When looking at the level of competition at cornerback this year, I can't help but chuckle even more at the thought of James baing a starter on this defense. Something that people seem to forget about the Lito Sheppard "situation" is the level of competition it brings to the secondary. And based on what was evident from camp last year, it seems obvious that competition is a good thing. Having competition between two Pro-Bowlers and an unbreakable shutdown corner, as well as a rising star in my opinion in Joselio Hansen? Well that is something we could only have dreamed about last year. Even the undervalued position of fullback is enjoying a huge amount of competition, to the point where it actually seems as if the coaches can't make up their minds! But this could also prove to be very good, as this will probably result in the position being upgraded over Thomas Tapeh. Strictly speaking, Quarterback is another position featuring competition. Last year, Donovan McNabb was the starter, A.J. Feeley and Kelly Holcomb were the backups and Kevin Kolb was the youngster. This time around, Kolb appears to have beaten Feeley out to take that second spot, and this means that he is one injury away from starting (usually that doesn't mean much, but unfortunately it is a factor when considering McNabb). Of course, the dynamic becomes even more interesting if Kolb were to get meaningful playing time during the regular season...But I don't see that as being good competition. That could in fact be potentially devastating. Other positions that have some nice internal competitions going on include: Running back - This may be the position that has the biggest impact offensively this year, and seeing the competition between Booker, Buckhalter and Hunt for that backup spot is encouraging. Wide Reciever - This battle will be primarily for the 3rd and 4th WR spots between Jackson, Baskett, Avant and Lewis. Tight End - The emergence of Brent Celek and the addition of Kris Wilson means that there will be great competition for playing time behind L.J. Smith. Left Guard - This competition was highly publicized prior to OTA's, but Jean-Gilles has been dissapointing so far and Herremans is the clear favourite. Left End - This is a good battle between the size of Victor Abiamiri, the speed of Chris Clemons and the stability of Jaqua Parker. Strong Safety - Sean Considine needs to make a push to prove that he is worth keeping on this team, while Quintin Mikell is the favourite to start next to Brian Dawkins. I see the positions that feature a healthy dose of competition this year as the following: QB, HB, FB, LG, DE, LB, CB, SS. That sure is a whole lot more exciting than Sav vs Dirk. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:55:29 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286033 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286033 Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Brian Dawkins, and Lito Sheppard. Pretty star-studded group wouldn't you agree? With the new addition of Samuel, the All-Pro cornerback, and Hall of Fame bound Brian Dawkins this group is stacked. The potential for this secondary is unlike any Eagles secondary that I can ever remember. But after naming all these players there is one more. The starting strong safety Quintin Mikell is left out of the picture. He is not a star, a pro-bowler, or a future Hall of Fame inductee. Quintin Mikell burst on the scene last year when the Eagles finally decided to pull the plug on the Sean Considine experiment. One that didn't last a long time. Mikell started to make plays immediatley. You all remember the play where Mikell sprawled out in the air and leaped on Jon Kitna in week three against Detroit. If you ask me, it was a spitting image of Brian Dawkins. Mikell has an absolute perfect opportunity in front of him. With this superstar secondary he has his work cut out for him and he will have to show the coaching staff that he has a "twinkle" about him too. But I am sure Mikell doesn't just want to twinkle, he wants to shine. With quarterbacks focused on keeping the ball away from playmakers like Brian Dawkins and Asante Samuel or ballhawks like Lito Sheppard, Mikell will be able to creep up and make huge plays. He will be tested a lot this year. Can he live up to the challenge? The starting strong safety position is his to lose this offseason. The real question is can Quintin Mikell not only keep his starting spot on the defense but can he shine among the brighter stars in the secondary? Well, you know I think he can, but that is a question that will be answered come September. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:54:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285913 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285913 I loved Prisco's top 50, but there were definite faults in it.  Even though he did a great job tackling the Brady v. Manning topic, some of his picks were, how do you say, questionable.  Here is my attempt at naming the top 50 players in the NFL.  With 1696 players on the active roster, cutting it down to 50 is tough, but here I go. 1. Tom Brady/QB/New England Patriots (Prisco Ranking-1): Ugh.  I hate this.  I hate putting Brady at number one.  50 touchdown passes does qualify him for this spot though.  This doesn't feel right.  Do I have to put Patriots players on my list? 2. Peyton Manning/QB/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-2): Ah, this feels better.  Manning in his downyear through for more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, got his team a first-round bye while missing his top wide receiver for most of the year.  Scary to think of what he can do with the whole team in his "great" years. 3. Randy Moss/WR/New England Patriots (Prisco-4): When he's not bumping traffic cops, he's pushing off of cornerbacks and safeties to break the receiving touchdowns in a season record (although that title is complete bogus).  He should do well again this year, but not 20+ touchdowns. 4. LaDanian Tomlinson/RB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-3): LDT is a Hall of Fame running back, but there are other backs in the league that are catching up to him.  Tomlinson can do it all: run, catch, and even pass.  He's the definition of an all-around back. 5. Bob Sanders/S/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-7): Sanders is definitely the best defender in the league.  No other defensive player changes a game in the way that Sanders does.  We've all seen what the Colts did on defense in 2007 as opposed to the Sanders-less 2006. 6. Jared Allen/DE/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-12): Legal matters aside, Allen has moved into the category of a healthy Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney as the game's premier pass rushers.  He got 15.5 sacks in 14 games last year.  It is crazy to put him out of the top 10. 7. Antonio Cromartie/CB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-NR): I have no idea how Antonio Cromartie was not ranked by Prisco.  Cromartie led the league in interceptions, returned a missed field goal for a touchdown, and he recovered 2 fumbles.  He was definitely the best corner in the league last year. 8. Adrian Peterson/RB/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-15): Peterson exploded onto the scene last season, running for over 1300 yards, leading the league in rushing yards per game, and taking home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. 9. DeMarcus Ware/OLB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-9): Last season, Ware had the best season of his career.  He had career-highs in sacks and tackles, and he is only going to improve. 10. Walter Jones/OT/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-16): Even though the Seahawks have no offensive weapons, the Seahawks have a top 10 offense.  How is it possible?  This man is the reason why. 11. Nnamdi Asomugha/CB/Oakland Raiders (Prisco-29) 12. Brian Westbrook/RB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-20) 13. Reggie Wayne/WR/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-22) 14. Steve Hutchinson/OG/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-19) 15. Albert Haynesworth/DT/Tennessee Titans (Prisco-14) 16. Terrell Owens/WR/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-13) 17. Jeff Saturday/C/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-NR) 18. Champ Bailey/CB/Denver Broncos (Prisco-5) 19. Shawne Merriman/OLB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-11) 20. Kevin Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-10) 21. Dwight Freeney/DE/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-25) 22. Ed Reed/S/Baltimore Ravens (Prisco-23) 23. Jason Peters/OT/Buffalo Bills (Prisco-27) 24. Richard Seymour/DE/New England Patriots (Prisco-30) 25. Braylon Edwards/WR/Cleveland Browns (Prisco-34) 26. Devin Hester/RS/Chicago Bears (Prisco-50) 27. Andre Johnson/WR/Houston Texans (Prisco-26) 28. Chad Johnson/WR/Cincinnati Bengals (Prisco-28) 29. Asante Samuel/CB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-37) 30. Patrick Willis/MLB/San Francisco 49ers (Prisco-43) 31. Antonio Gates/TE/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-24) 32. Osi Umenyiora/DE/New York Giants (Prisco-42) 33. Tony Romo/QB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-NR) 34. Tony Gonzalez/TE/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-46) 35. Steven Jackson/RB/St. Louis Rams (Prisco-33) 36. Patrick Kerney/DE/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-NR) 37. Mario Williams/DE/Houston Texans (Prisco-6) 38. Ernie Sims/OLB/Detroit Lions (Prisco-39) 39. Larry Fitzgerald/WR/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-31) 40. Ben Roethlisberger/QB/Pittsburgh Steelers (Prisco-17) 41. Lofa Tatupa/MLB/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-40) 42. Adrian Wilson/S/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-NR) 43. Shawn Andrews/OG/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-38) 44. Tommie Harris/DT/Chicago Bears (Prisco-36) 45. Pat Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-NR) 46. Aaron Kampman/DE/Green Bay Packers (Prisco-45) 47. Drew Brees/QB/New Orleans Saints (Prisco-35) 48. Brian Urlacher/MLB/Chicago Bears (Prisco-32) 49. Larry Johnson/RB/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-NR) 50. Plaxico Burress/WR/New York Giants (Prisco-NR) Unranked Players On My List That Are On Prisco's List: Carson Palmer (8) Charles Woodson (18) Steve Smith (21) Vince Wilfork (41) Kellen Winslow (44) Marcus Trufant (47) Wes Welker (48) Fred Taylor (49) Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:49:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284878 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284878 Asante Samuel isn't saying anything, obviously he hasnt stooped to your level. It isnt professional to start calling people out, but since you are i will too, Jim Johnson, Eagles D coordinator you are amazing for your work with our unit, Donovan McNabb YOU SUCK AT TACKLING AND BLOCKING PUNTS AND MAKING INTS BUT YOURE A GREAT QB. Dawks YOU SUCK AT NOTHING, like call people out positively Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:50:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284672 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284672 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:58:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284401 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284401 Wes Welker certainly grew a set of balls when he moved his petite ass up to New England. But as lil Wes runs his mouth about former teammate Asante Samuel's free agency contract, Jim Rome reminds the Liliputian of his actual worth and him number of championships. (Video at HHR). Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:33:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284321 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284321 Since 2000, the Eagles have been consistent playoff contenders in the NFC, finishing only one season under .500. During the decade, despite having an offensive-minded head coach and offensive stars such as Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, the team's backbone has been Jim Johnson's aggressive defense. When that unit has made key plays and limited opponents' scoring, the Eagles have been more successful. But last year, except in a few key games, both the solid and the spectacular elements were missing from the defense. It didn't help that longtime linebackers/defensive backs coach Steve Spagnuolo took the system he learned under Johnson to New York and made the division-rival Giants the league's top pass-rushing defense. The Eagles were beaten at their own game in their own division. Despite sending a defensive end, Trent Cole, to the Pro Bowl, the Eagles finished with a so-so total of 37 sacks, and Cole (12 1/2) provided more than a third of them. On the last line of pass defense, the secondary, injuries were a major problem. Cornerback Lito Sheppard missed five games, while safety and unit leader Brian Dawkins missed six, contributing to the team finishing dead last in the league with only 11 interceptions. The Eagles managed to be pretty strong against the run because of good interior line and linebacker play, but they didn't really strike fear into teams by swarming after quarterbacks and forcing them into big mistakes. The defense did have one surprising stand against the high-powered Cowboys offense in an impressive Week 15 victory. Philly recorded three sacks and three picks of Tony Romo in a 10-6 win. Not surprisingly, both Sheppard and Dawkins were active for that game. The Eagles will need many more performances like the one they enjoyed in Dallas to get back into contention for a playoff spot in a very tough NFC East. However, there's hope they can do it with a cleaner bill of health and improved personnel. The strength of last year's team was up front, where Cole and young tackles Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley combined to anchor the defensive line. Former Titan Juqua Parker showed promise in seven starts last season, and the addition of former Raider Chris Clemons (eight sacks) will bolster both the team's edge pass rush and its overall depth. At linebacker, Omar Gaither will be more comfortable making plays after moving from the middle to the weak side. Of course, there is that monster offseason addition in the secondary. Philly obtained arguably the best player on the free-agent market: cornerback Asante Samuel. Samuel, with 16 interceptions over his final two seasons in New England, has emerged as one the game's most dangerous ballhawks. Not only does he reinvigorate the Eagles' takeaway potential, but he also allows them to have a fine nickel package that includes '07 starters Sheppard and Sheldon Brown. After a down year, Johnson should be much happier with the results this season. The defense can take a huge leap with Samuel's presence as the driving force. The offense is the source of the team's second burning question: What should be expected from McNabb? But if the defense regains its old swagger, that question won't matter as much. As the team proved as recently as 2006, it can win plenty of games when the defense is operating at a high level, supplemented by heavy doses of Brian Westbrook and the running game. Philadelphia finished in the division basement and was the only team in the NFC East not to make the playoffs last season, but it still was 8-8 and proved it could play with the 13-3 Cowboys when everything was clicking. The Eagles have improved their roster and gotten healthy enough on defense to turn the NFC East standings upside down. With a little help from the offense, worst to first isn't as big of a jump as you might think. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:43:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284103 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284103 Wes Welker, WR of the New England Patriots, said that he was disappointed that they could not resign Asante Samuel. He said that when signing with the Eagles he chose money over championships. Samuel has two championships already as Welker has zero. So what is Welker saying about the Eagles? Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:39:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283849 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283849 what a classless piece of shizit, he says, asante samuel chose money over championships, what a retarded little slot receiver who is only making money b/c of randy moss on the outside. stupid white trash, he doesnt know anything, and the eagles currently have the same record as those new england patriots, and everybody on the eagles has as many or more rings than welker has... ZERO!!!! what a load of crap, their team choked in the superbowl, and now effing wes welker is gonna judge other players and teams, i hope he tears his acl in week ONE and the eagles effing destroy the patriots in the superbowl, go back and play for the dolphins you have no right to say anything... and by the way the eagles defense is much better than the patriots aging defense anyway and if you disagree you obviously did not see them get torn apart late in the year and in the superbowl is that you holding that trophy in that picture wesley? Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:23:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283844 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283844 The NFC East is of course one of the toughest divisions in football. Along with the AFC South it has to be named the most competitive division in the NFL. This is always a topic of discussion so here is how I see it. 1. Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles finished 4th last year at 8-8. The year prior they finished 10-6 and taking the division. So consistency is really the question here. Can the Eagles reclaim the division? Well I see them doing just that. Many will disagree but you cannot count out that they have been the favorite in this division since the McNabb era started. This year they will go for not only the NFC East, but the Superbowl. Strengths: The Eagles have great lines on both sides of the ball. Trent Cole leading the way on defense and the strong tackles Jon Runyan and William Thomas have been playing with Donovan McNabb his whole career. Not to forget Shawn Andrews who has emerged as one of the best linemen in the NFL. Opponents must consider Brian Westbrook as the most lethal weapon in the NFL out of the backfield or from the slot. The Eagles have made a statement in free agency this year and really had the best offseason in the division. Picking up Cornerback Asante Samuel on the first day and Defensive End Chris Clemons on the second day plus many more, they are hinting they want it all this year. With a healthy McNabb, they should be clicking all year long. Weaknesses: The Eagles have always been known as a pass happy team. Andy Reid and company have been trying to balance out their offense for the past few years but obviously this team operates through the air. So it is like they live by the pass, die by the pass. It makes them one dimensional if they don't make an attempt to establish a run game early. Injuries have hurt this team as well. Brian Dawkins, Lito Sheppard, and Donovan McNabb have all suffered injuries over the past few years. If the leaders on this team cannot stay healthy, it will not be a successful year. Question Marks: Offensive consistency. Can this team score in the red zone? Can this team march down the field when they need to and win games? Can the offensive click and make big plays? Turnovers and field position. Can this team create turnovers? Can the defense score off turnovers? Can the special teams get field position for the offense? 2. Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have a high powered offense. We all know that. Quarterback Tony Romo has many weapons through the air and on the ground no mercy back Marion Barber runs with heart and power. The flashy superstar Terrell Owens is out to get his ring and after the water works last season in a press conference following the playoff loss against the Giants. He wants to make sure secondaries are the ones crying while he's running past them. Rookies like Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins look to make an impact as do new additions Adam Jones (formerly known as Pacman) and Zach Thomas. Strengths: Offensive firepower is what carries this team. Tony Romo passing to Terrell Owens and Jason Witten is torture to defenses. Romo threw for 35 touchdowns last season and looks to match that this upcoming season and show every doubter he is the real deal. Marion Barber and Felix Jones should be a fun duo to watch out of the backfield. With Jason Garrett calling the plays, Dallas can look forward to a very successful offense in 2008. Terence Newman and Demarcus Ware lead the Cowboys defensive unit which can create big plays. Weaknesses: The Cowboys don't have many weaknesses on offense. I would have to say the biggest weakness on offense is the 2nd and 3rd receivers. Patrick Crayton has showed flashes but not enough to be that solid number two receiver playing across from Owens. Terry Glenn was great next to Owens but has been rattled with injury the last few years. The biggest weakness on the Cowboys is their defense. They have a few good players but overall they are average. The secondary is the biggest weakness on the defense. Roy Williams is not a cover safety and big passes can be completed against this secondary. Newman received star status by many last year but I believe he is a bit overrated. He only had 4 interceptions last year. Not mind boggling, he is just an average corner who was given a huge contract. Newman will have to prove himself to me this season if he wants to earn my respect. Question Marks: Rookie impact. Can Felix Jones be the answer to Julius Jones' departure? Can Mike Jenkins hold his own at cornerback when given the opportunity? Will these two first round picks even get on the field? Offensive chemistry, drama free. Will Terrell Owens open his mouth and say the wrong thing this year? Can celebrity Quarterback Tony Romo keep his love life out of the media? Will disgruntled safety Roy Williams restart talks of a trade? 3. New York Giants: The Giants shocked the football world. No, scratch that. They shocked the entire universe! Beating the odds and the Patriots, they went on to win the Superbowl. The Giants showed everyone that defense wins championships. The Giants are anchored by their defensive line and high motor defensive ends. Eli Manning took a big step on the maturity level and drove the team down the field to score the winning touchdown. Plaxico Burress also has a lot to do with the Giants offensive success, and don't forget about the two headed monster of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Strengths: The defensive ends of the NY Giants are Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck. Two players who never stop hustling on the football field. These two knocked around Tom Brady all game and really ruined the Patriots offensive gameplan. The Giants defense can really change games and help them win. The offense can be lethal at times with Plaxico Burress, the 6'5 receiver, at full health. Burress played all last year with a nagging ankle injury, never practicing. Jacobs, the big back, can run through defensive lines and score easily in the red zone. Weaknesses: The Giants lost three key defensive starters. Michael Strahan's recent retirement was the biggest loss. Strahan is a Hall of Famer and a legend to the Giants. Safety Gibril Wilson and Linebacker Kawika Mitchell were both signed as free agents by other teams. These players will be missed on the field next season as they all contributed heavily to the Superbowl run and win put together by the team. Eli Manning also still has lots of work to do. He has matured a lot over his career but still struggles at points in the regular season. He threw a league leading 20 interceptions. He has to be more consistent for this team to move up in the division. Question Marks: Overcoming losses on defense. Can the team move on without the leadership of Michael Strahan? Can the linebacking corps remain solid without Kawika Mitchell? How will the secondary react to the loss of Gibril Wilson, a young rising star? Quarterback consistency. Will Eli Manning return with a swagger? Can Manning keep his interception total down? Will Manning be able to live up to the star status he earned from "The Drive"? 4. Washington Redskins: The hard-nosed defense overcame the loss of Sean Taylor. The tragedy which took place midseason, Taylor was attacked in his home and died in the hospital, did not stop the Redskins from marching into the playoffs on the shoulders of backup Quarterback Todd Collins. Much like the Eagles 2006 run to the playoffs powered by Jeff Garcia, Jason Campbell was injured and veteran Todd Collins came in and took the team into the postseason. It should have been very motivating to be in the playoffs but the team fell short to Seattle in the first round. Joe Gibbs retired after the season was over and Jim Zorn was hired to coach the team. Strengths: The Redskins are a hustle team. The defense is made up of players who just play with pride. They want to win more than anything and they show it on the field. The offense has many weapons from Clinton Portis to Santana Moss to Chris Cooley. Many players who can hurt a defense in many different ways. Rookies Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas will try to win starting jobs at wide receiver in 2008. The Redskins offense is built around speed. Guys like Antwaan Randle El, Ladell Betts, Santana Moss, and Clinton Portis fly around the field to make plays. The Redskins have a solid offense and defense looking to improve next year in consistency. Weaknesses: The Redskins took a shot in the dark when they hired new head coach Jim Zorn. He was the quarterback coach of the Seattle Seahawks in 2007 and he has no experience as a head coach. This can make a huge difference on a team, especially a young one. The Redskins have not seen consistent play from their young quarterback, Jason Campbell. He has to improve his consistency and stay healthy to make an impact in the 2008 season. The defensive side of the ball has to all come together and play like they did at the end of 2007. The Redskins have to unite as a defense to win because they really do not have any standout leaders on that side of the ball. If they cannot play as one, the outcome could be brutal. Question Marks: Defensive leadership. Will the young defense be able to overcome the passing of team leader Sean Taylor? Can they play together as one unit and make plays? Can a young player step up and take charge of this defense? Coaching staff. Will Jim Zorn be able to productively coach this young team? With no experience, will Zorn know how to handle the emotions of this football team? We have seen frauds like Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino, will Zorn be one of them? Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:58:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283735 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283735 Full Disclosure: I (Joel Stubblefield) hate the New England Patriots. I'm not sure why, but the overall smugness of the entire organization is really annoying to me. So what can be said about the 2007 season for the New England Patriots that hasn't already been said? Contributing greatly to my overall happiness, they didn't win the Super Bowl. But, they did complete a perfect 16-0 regular season, and had some incredible performances fantasy football wise. In fact, if you owned Tom Brady, Randy Moss, or Wes Welker in many leagues, you had quite the season. Brady, perhaps my least favorite player on the planet, was absolutely surgical last year. His final numbers of 398 completions, 4,806 yards, and 50 touchdowns were simply filthy. Moss managed a bounce-back year of epic proportions, harkening back to the days of purple and gold in the Metrodome and totaling 98 receptions, 1493 yards, and 23 touchdowns. Welker? What's 112 receptions, 1175 yards, and eight touchdowns? Paltry compared to Moss. Of minor disappointment, however, was Laurence Maroney, who likely cost you a first round pick, finishing with 835 rushing yards and six touchdowns. There's reason for excitement for Maroney owners in keeper leagues, however, as we'll get to later. Make sure to read more of what Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff writer Joel Stubblefield has to say about the New England Patriots and their fantasy football worthy players heading into the 2008 season by clicking below... Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:59:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282487 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282487 Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard skipped all but the mandatory minicamp this offseason and has not addressed his situation with reporters since late May. Sheppard hosted a daylong free fitness camp for several hundred children in his hometown of Jacksonville this weekend. Patriots receiver and ex-Eagle Jabar Gaffney, also a Jacksonville native, helped run the event. And they both deserve credit for doing that. Sheppard was asked by a local television station about his status with the Eagles. (You can access the video from the link above, too.) "That part of the business has to take care of itself," Sheppard said. "I'm just preparing myself to play, wherever that might be, but I'm going to be ready." Of course, the thing that stands out is the phrase "wherever that might be." Hard to know what his intent was, without being able to ask any follow-up questions. Perhaps, Sheppard is just being realistic as trade rumors persist, despite assertions by Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Jim Johnson that Sheppard remains a big part of the Eagles' plans. Perhaps, Sheppard is girding himself for the possibility that he might not be with the team. Perhaps, it means nothing. However, Sheppard's status will continue to be a talking point as the offseason continues and training camp approaches. Sheldon Brown, Sheppard's fellow corner, was sure that Sheppard would show up for the start of camp for one reason: the fines for not showing up. * In other charitable endeavors by Eagles players, safety Sean Considine was back in Illinois for the Considine Charity Classic golf tournament. He weighed in on several subjects in a story in the Rockford Register * On Lito Sheppard: "Right now we have three of the best corners in the NFL. It's hard to get three guys on the field every snap at corner, but we will come up with different packages to get people on the field. It's still up in the air what's going to happen with Lito. He was a little upset over the deal. He didn't make our last optional workouts. We'll see how it all pans out. The bottom line is we have three great players. We'd love to have Lito, but this is a business. You never know what will happen." * On the safety situation, where he is listed as the backup to Quintin Mikell at strong safety: "They didn't bring in any other safeties, but the guy who took my spot played well. I have to come back and prove that I'm healthy and can get through a season on this shoulder. It's a little bit of an uphill climb right now, but that's how I like it. We'll see what happens. Last year, Quentin, who took my spot, played in all 16 games, because I was hurt and (free safety) Brian Dawkins was hurt. I'm going to have an opportunity to win my spot back. Even if I don't, I will play." Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:57:02 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282168 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282168 This is another part of our best of players with dreads series. Enjoy! 1.Bob Sanders Colts 2.Atari Bigby Packers 3. Al Harris Packers 4.Brandon Meriweather Patriots 5.Rashean Mathis Jaguars 6.Asante Samuel Eagles 7. Reggie Nelson Jaguars 8. Mike Mckenzie Saints 9.Greg Wesley Chiefs 10.Michael Griffin Titans 11.Usama Young Saints 12.Jack Williams Broncos 13.Terry Cousin Bears 14.Dunta Robinson Texans 15.Marcus Trufant Seahawks 16.Cedric Griffin Vikings 17.Adam Jones (when he had them) Cowboys 18.Leigh Bodden Lions 19.Chris Houston Falcons 20.Charles Tillman Bears Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:01:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282121 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282121