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Ye shall receive

Inside the wideout battles, Part 1

Click here for more on this story
Posted: Friday July 27, 2001 4:57 PM

  Travis Taylor After being sidelined for most of 2000, Travis Taylor is poised to start for the Ravens this year. Rick Stewart/Allsport

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

The latest installment in a position-by-position series previewing this year’s major training camp battles -- and other significant issues -- from a Fantasy perspective. Previous Position: Running Back; Next Position: Tight End.

Arizona Cardinals

Injury Concerns: Rob Moore (torn ACL -- 8/17/00)
Moore, who began running and cutting at full speed last month, has clearance to hit the practice field when camp opens on July 27. He is reportedly in great shape despite sitting out the entire 2000 season after blowing out a knee on the carpeted concrete in Minnesota last August, but coaches still plan to limit him to one workout daily early on. Overview: The Cardinals top three receivers -- Moore, David Boston and Frank Sanders -- are as solid a trio as you’re likely to find heading into the summer. Moore and Boston are the clear-cut starters with Sanders, still a capable possession guy, coming off the bench when the team lines up in multiple receiver sets. According to Sports Illustrated insider Don Banks, Moore is still “the man” in the eyes of struggling Cards quarterback Jake Plummer, and the former Jet is still viewed by most observers as the team’s No. 1 receiver.

Breakout Imminent? After leading the Cardinals in both receiving yards and touchdowns scored last year, Boston is a player to watch. The former Ohio State star will open the 2001 season bigger and stronger than he’s been in the past thanks to an intense offseason training regimen. And when he wasn’t in the weight room, Boston was either studying film or working on his route running with new position coach Jerry Sullivan, who is widely regarded as one of the league’s top teachers of technique.

According to quarterback Plummer, “[Boston] actually called me a few times in the offseason and said, 'Hey, let's go throw.’ You like to see that from the younger guys. You have to work at this every day, and he has put in a lot of work. He's bigger, stronger, faster. He has matured a lot.” Look for Boston to parlay that newfound maturity into a breakout season.

Deep Sleeper: MarTay Jenkins emerged as one of the best kick returners in the league last season and coaches would love to see him push for reps in the regular offense this summer. One of the fastest players in the league, Jenkins would certainly give opposing defenses something to worry about if he refines his receiving skills.

Atlanta Falcons

Primary Battle Front: Shawn Jefferson vs. Tony Martin
A pair of wily veterans like Jefferson and Martin should make for interesting competition for the starting job opposite Terance Mathis. While Martin was Chris Chandler's favorite deep target in 1998 and has been missed the last two years, Jefferson is no slouch when it comes to hauling in the long ball. In fact, 17 of his 26 career TD catches have been over 40 yards in length.

Baltimore Ravens

Injury Concerns: Travis Taylor (broken clavicle -- 10/29/00)
All systems are go. Taylor had a great offseason; much of it spent working out with Minnesota wide receiver Cris Carter.

Primary Battle Front: Taylor vs. Qadry Ismail
Taylor started working out on his own in March -- just two months after undergoing laser eye surgery -- and then showed up for Carter's offseason workout camp a week earlier than most NFL veterans. Although he’s still listed as Ismail's backup at the team’s “X” position, most observers expect Taylor to move into the starting lineup quickly this summer. "I'm ready for the challenge," he recently stated. "If I get every ball thrown at me, I'm up for that."

Youth Movement: Assuming Taylor makes good on my threat to beat out Ismail, he’s likely to work opposite Brandon Stokley, who is currently penciled in as the “Z” man. However, coaches might move the third-year speedster inside, working him primarily out of the slot. Stokley was almost unstoppable working out of the slot during the team’s playoff run early this year and moving him to the outside almost certainly means pitting him against some of the league’s top cornerbacks. Fortunately, a starting assignment isn’t necessarily critical to his success and newly signed QB Elvis Grbac views Stokley as a potential breakout player this season after working with him this preseason. Ismail and Patrick Johnson will come off the bench depending on the situation and play called.

Buffalo Bills

Primary Battle Front: Peerless Price vs. Jeremy McDaniel
After starting only four games as a rookie in 1999, one could easily argue that Price emerged as a bona-fide, honest-to-gosh, NFL-caliber No. 2 receiver. Unfortunately, No. 3 man Jeremy McDaniel might be starting to look even more like an NFL-caliber No. 2 man than his less physical teammate. Much like Eric Moulds and Price, McDaniel is a big (6-0, 197-pounds) target with good hands and a knack for getting open. And best of all, he plays much more aggressively than Price, who seems to lack the toughness necessary to get the job done in heavy traffic. It’s also worth noting that some observers question whether Price can run the kind of disciplined routes Buffalo’s new West Coast offense demands.

Carolina Panthers

Injury Concerns: Patrick Jeffers (underwent major surgery on both knees -- 8/10/00)
This one doesn’t look good to me gang. Jeffers underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday and will miss at least three weeks of practice. Doctors removed a flap of cartilage from his right knee and the former Virginia star could miss the season opener against Minnesota on Sept. 9. Jeffers missed all of last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in that same knee during a preseason game in Pittsburgh, but it’s his left knee that worries me more; the story goes like this:

Jeffers underwent “microfracture” surgery on his left the same day doctors repaired that torn ACL in his right knee last August. Once considered a revolutionary procedure, “microfracture” surgery -- developed by Dr. J. Richard Steadman of the Steadman-Hawkins Foundation in Vail, Col. -- involves punching small holes in the bone underneath the knee cartilage near a joint surface injury in order to cause cartilage growth.

However, the procedure seems to be falling out of favor, at least in NFL circles, after a handful of players -- including defensive linemen Eric Swann, Andre Wadsworth and Chuck Smith -- failed to rebound from the operation as expected. Swann has retired from the league; Wadsworth won't be ready to play until the second half of the season (if he plays at all); and Carolina released Smith this week (July 23) after the high-priced free agent acquisition failed a physical.

And even after undergoing microfracture surgery, Jeffers is still bothered by a condition called chondromalacia, which has caused the cartilage between the back of his kneecap and his femur bone to erode away. "It’s now bone on bone," Jeffers said Monday -- the day before doctors scoped his “good” knee – and when those bones rub together it causes the knee to get irritated. And that, in turn, causes inflammation.

You don’t have to be an orthopedic surgeon to figure this one out: Jeffers’ microfracture surgery didn’t take. In fact, Jeffers quietly had that left knee scoped back in May -- shortly before he came clean and told reporters about the whole situation on May 31.

It seemed fairly innocent at the time, but head coach George Seifert might have hinted where this one was headed during an exchange with reporters the day Jeffers went public with the story.

Asked if Jeffers would be able to regain the form he demonstrated during his breakout 1999 season, Seifert seemed to sidestep the issue by saying, "Well, if there’s anybody that is going to come back from that injury, it would be that type of person."

Which almost sounded promising -- until he added, "But sometimes it takes a couple of years."

If you ask me, “a couple of years” in this case is probably coachspeak for “NEVER.”

Other Issues: Don’t get too excited over Jeffers’ potential replacement, Donald Hayes. After all, none of the four quarterbacks currently on Carolina's roster has ever started an NFL game.

Chicago Bears

Injury Concerns: Marcus Robinson (herniated disc -- 12/7/00); Bobby Engram (torn ACL -- 9/18/00)
Robinson, who missed the final three weeks of last season with a lower back injury, is having problems dealing with the heat in recent days, which isn’t a new development. Robinson generally misses time every summer due to dehydration. Although he’s in great shape, team officials suspect his body fat is so low (3.9 percent), that dehydrates more quickly than teammates. They also say his back problems were originally brought on by dehydration. Harsh.

After skipping Monday morning’s practice -- and quitting early Monday afternoon -- Robinson told reporters, ''I've got to keep [my back] stretched and got to keep it loose. In special teams, I might get 10 or 15 minutes off and I might start to stiffen up, so I have to keep moving. We're scared of the heat because if I dehydrate, the first thing it attacks is my back and it starts to spasm up.'' Just for the record. Robinson also missed Tuesday’s practice.

Engram is eager to rejoin the fray after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in the third game of the 2000 season. With his knee rehabbed, the former Penn State star told reporters, "Sitting back and having to suffer through 13 games, I'm going to enjoy this training camp," he said. However, team officials are being cautious and the current plan has Engram working out once daily; he’ll be held out of practices following full-contact workouts for at least two weeks.

Primary Battle Front: Engram vs. David Terrell
Engram is convinced he can excel working under new offensive coordinator John Shoop. "This is the offense I was drafted here to play in," he explained Tuesday. Engram averaged 15.4 yards per catch back in 1998, when Matt Cavanaugh was Chicago’s offensive coordinator. He had 64 catches that year and five touchdowns playing in a West Coast scheme similar to Shoop’s system. "There's going to be some things in there that Bobby's done before," Shoop said. "Bobby's pretty quick underneath, and he's got some suddenness, so those things will help Bobby."

And he’ll need all the help he can get to beat out Terrell -- the first wide receiver and eighth player overall selected in April’s draft. However, until he signs a contract and reports to camp, Terrell is Engram’s most valuable ally. As head coach Dick Jauron noted on Tuesday, "Bobby is the starter. Every day that David misses, he just loses the opportunity to press anybody for a job."

Other Issues: Head coach Dick Jauron singled out Marty Booker for praise Thursday. "Marty had a real good spring for us and he has a lost additional weight coming into camp,” Jauron explained. “So far in camp I think he's really stood out. With [Engram] missing a little time and then [Robinson] missing time it's an opportunity for Book. And I think he's stepped up."

Cincinnati Bengals

Injury Concerns: Darnay Scott (broken tibia, fibula 8/01/00)
Scott declared himself healthy upon arrival at team headquarters last Friday and again after Saturday afternoon's practice. The former San Diego State star claims he's close to 100 percent physically and looking forward to working under new offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, but team officials aren't convinced he's mentally ready for contact. It’s also worth noting that he needs to work on his endurance and overall conditioning after reporting for camp carrying more weight than normal. Coaches won't rush him, but Scott should be back up to speed before the regular season opener.

Bigger. ... Badder. ... Better? After signing of former Steeler and Jet wide out Malcolm Johnson, the Bengals suddenly find themselves with seven wide receivers that are at least 6-1 or taller. That’s no accident. Bratkowski loves big, physical guys capable of imposing their will on defenders and that’s certainly what he has now. That includes 6-2, 223-pound prospect Chad Plummer, a local legend who lined up as a "Slash-esque" QB/WR for the University of Cincinnati from 1994 to ‘97. If Plummer and rookie T.J. Houshmandzadeh can maintain the pace they set during mini-camp workouts, Ron Dugans and Danny Farmer might have a hard time surviving final cuts.

For the record, Scott, Peter Warrick and second-round draft pick Chad Johnson head into camp as Bratkowski’s primary receiving weapons. Look for all three to be on the field together regularly.

Cleveland Browns

Injury Concerns: Dennis Northcutt (collarbone 6/13/01); JuJuan Dawson (collarbone 9/10/00)
Northcutt, who failed to finish last season because of a sprained ankle, missed all of the team's final mini-camp because of a broken collarbone he suffered while trying to keep a little boy from falling and possibly hitting his head on a large rock. His injury isn’t nearly as severe as the one Dawson sustained last year, but Northcutt opened camp on the team’s non-football injury list.

A third-round pick out of Tulane, the 6-1, 200-pound Dawson lined up as the starter opposite Kevin Johnson and pulled in a team-high nine passes for 97 yards and a TD before he was placed on the injured reserve list on Sept. 18. Dawson still hasn’t completely recovered from that injury and he’s also been bothered by a variety of minor ailments -- including pain in his feet.

Primary Battle Front: Dawson vs. Quincy Morgan
With Dawson and Northcutt limited to varying degrees, 6-0, 214-pound rookie Quincy Morgan heads into his first NFL training camp listed as the starter opposite Johnson. According to new head coach Butch Davis, "[Morgan is] a big run-after-the-catch guy. He has outstanding speed and was one of the fastest receivers in the draft, running a very low 4.42 to 4.43. He had two outstanding seasons at Kansas State and was very consistent. We have someone who can run fast and be very productive and physical in the red zone." It’s too early to write Dawson off -- unless Morgan continues to improve at his current pace.

For what it’s worth, Morgan’s confidence level heading into camp was high. "It's me and JaJuan competing for a starting job," the newcomer said before the first day of training camp Monday. "[Dawson] has a lot of talent, so it's going to be a lot of hard work. Whoever is the best man is going to get the job. I expect to come out the starter. I think I bring a lot of physical play. I bring a lot of speed to the table. The only thing that would stop me is not knowing the offense, but I don't see that as a problem.” However, he climbed of his high horse Tuesday afternoon following a run in with receivers coach Terry Robiske. According to Morgan, "[Robiske] told me I had to get in shape and I was being lazy. Said I was running around my routes. Practically, most everything was true. There won't be any more days like that.''

Free At Last, Free At Last! Darrin Chiaverini might not be fast, but those who follow the team closely say his ability to run very precise routes and tendency to catch every pass thrown his way all but guarantee he’ll contribute under new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. That’s a far cry from a year ago, when he fell into former head coach Chris Palmer's doghouse and never got back out.

Dallas Cowboys

Injury Concerns: Joey Galloway (ACL 9/3/00); Raghib Ismail (ACL 11/5/00); Jermaine Copeland (broken leg -- 7/26/01)
Galloway and Ismail are currently limited to one workout daily with both men taking part in the team’s afternoon sessions only after suffering season-ending knee injuries last year. Reports out of Dallas indicate Ismail won’t take a snap in anger until very late this preseason, but coaches claim he recently covered 40 yards in 4.22 seconds -- which tends to fall into line with the 4.20 the Panthers boasted after signing him as a free agent in 1996. Coaches clearly expect both men to play and play effectively this season.

Copeland, the XFL's leading receiver, is expected to miss six to eight weeks after suffering a broken leg during Thursday's practice.

Primary Battle Front: Wane McGarity vs. Damon Hoge
With Copeland out of the picture for the time being, the competition for "Big D's" No. 3 spot becomes a two-man affair pitting the faster, more elusive McGarity against the more physically imposing Hoge; it's not out of the question to believe coaches will use both players depending on the situation. McGarity is a more dangerous runner after making the catch; Hoge is better suited to working the middle of the field.

For What It’s Worth: Galloway and Ismail are likely to be busy dudes once they’re ready to go full speed. Bear with me on this one. Current Cowboys offensive coordinator Jack Reilly was quarterbacks coach in St. Louis during Banks' rookie season with the Rams in 1996. In addition to working with Banks on a daily basis throughout that season, Reilly also handled the team's play-calling duties during games. If nothing else, Reilly was sharp enough to take advantage of Banks' primary strength by asking the strong-armed, first-year signal caller to heave the ball downfield, letting Isaac Bruce and Eddie Kennison -- one of the league’s fastest receiving tandems at the time -- to run underneath the resulting rainbows.

And guess what?

Bruce caught 84 passes for 1,338 yards and seven touchdowns that season while Kennison closed out the year with 54 catches for 924 yards and nine touchdowns. ... You’ll also want to note that the 2,535 passing yards Banks posted that season ranks fourth all-time among NFL rookies (behind Rick Mirer, Kerry Collins and Jim Zorn ).

Denver Broncos

Injury Concerns: Ed McCaffrey (minor offseason foot surgery); Keith Poole (hamstring -- 6/13/01)
After missing the team’s first mini-camp back in April, McCaffrey hasn’t experienced any setbacks in his comeback from offseason surgery to remove bone spurs from his foot and there’s no reason to believe he won’t be ready to work at full speed when camp opens Thursday. Poole should also be ready to go full speed this week.

Primary Battle Front: Mike Shanahan vs. his long-standing inability to sign a solid third WR
While McCaffrey and Rod Smith clearly represent one of the NFL’s best starting tandems at wide out, head coach Mike Shanahan was a man on a mission over the offseason. The mission? Making darned sure the Broncos open the regular season with an effective No. 3 man for the first time in quite a while.

As sharp as Shanahan has been when it comes to spotting talent, he’s had a heck of a time nailing down a viable third receiver. The list of players unable to take advantage of opportunities to win that job includes Flipper Anderson, Anthony Miller, Willie Green, Robert Brooks, Andre Reed, Mike Sherrard, Marcus Nash, Travis McGriff and Andre Cooper.

However, Shanahan seems to be genuinely excited about Eddie Kennison is different. In fact, team officials characterized him as an explosive, competitive receiver who has potential to become a big-time playmaker in Denver's attack shortly after he signed on with the club back in April.

If nothing else, Kennison -- who ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash coming out of school and won the NFL's Fastest Man contest in 1997 -- immediately becomes Denver's fastest player and the most dangerous deep threat the Broncos have boasted in quite some time.

According to Rams head coach Mike Martz, Kennison is especially dangerous after making the catch. "He has very quick hands and great body control," Martz explained. "He has running back skills with the ball in his hands."

But Shanahan isn’t taking any chances and Kennison will have to fend off a bevy of legitimate, semi-legitimate and less-than-legitimate challengers this summer in order to lock up the spot up.

Among the contenders:

  • Former New Orleans deep threat Keith Poole
  • Very solid rookie prospect Kevin Kasper: He's drawn comparisons to McCaffrey because of his passion for blocking
  • Muneer Moore: A hot prospect before breaking his ankle last summer
  • Chris Cole: Second-year man might be as fast as Kennison but couldn’t catch a cold as a rookie last year
  • Scottie Montgomery and Travis McGriff have a mighty long row to hoe.

    "We're probably as deep at the wide receiver position as I've seen in a long time," Shanahan said. "We've got a number of receivers who are capable of being that third or fourth wide receiver. We've got some great competition, and so we're looking forward to it."

    So are we coach.

    Detroit Lions

    Ch-ch-changes: The rank-and-file remains unchanged for the most part unchanged for the most part, but everything and everybody else in Detroit is new. Matt Millen, who was hired as team president and CEO early this year, in turn hired former Niner offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg as his head coach and charged him with turning around an offense that ranked 27th in the league last year.

    And that, my friends, means the Lions become the latest NFL team running a variation of the West Coast offense. And that might be enough to propel Germane Crowell to new heights.

    An imposing physical specimen who can haul his 220-pound frame 40 yards downfield in less than 4.5 seconds, Crowell can turn short passes into long gainers or blow by defenders to pull in the long ball with equal aplomb. He clearly has the size, speed, strength, explosiveness -- and the disposition -- to excel under Mornhinweg.

    Out With The Old? Just when it looked like Herman Moore's career in Detroit would come to a screeching halt, the lanky wide out kept Millen from making good on threats to send him packing by accepting a hefty pay cut on June 4. The former Virginia star would like to compete for a starting job, but that doesn’t appear to be in the cards.

    It’s worth noting, however, that Mornhinweg told Moore he could conceivably pull in 50 to 60 passes and score nine to 10 touchdowns as the team's third receiver this season.

    That would be the same Moore who’s only started 15 games over the last two seasons and struggled to get on the same page as Charlie Batch in the three years they’ve worked together.

    That would also be the same Mornhinweg, who prior to June 4, told anybody willing to listen that Moore's long-standing inability to gain yards after the catch all but excluded him from playing a major role in the WCO.

    Sixty catches? Puhleeze. ... It’ll never happen.

    Green Bay Packers

    Injury Concerns: Robert Ferguson (back spasms 6/5/01); Anthony Lucas (ACL --7/00)
    Ferguson missed a handful of mini-camp workouts last month, but an MRI on his back didn’t reveal any structural damage (no slipped or bulging disc), and team officials expected him to go full speed with the rest of the team’s rookies and free agents on Wednesday.

    Lucas, once a star wide receiver at Arkansas, has undergone five knee surgeries -- most recently last July. He’s going to have a hard time hanging this summer -- healthy or not.

    And Then There Were. … Four? The Packers would like to carry four wideouts on this year’s regular season roster, but that might be hard after losing TE Tyrone Davis to a hamstring injury. However, not long before Davis went down, offensive coordinator Tom Rossley told reporters the only way Green Bay would keep five receivers is if someone proved to be a specialist or a strong special teams player.

    So here’s where we stand: Antonio Freeman and Bill Schroeder reside atop the depth chart, but their status is hardly etched in stone and they head into camp as two of six strong candidates to make the final cut down.

    The bottom line here says nobody gets a free ride this summer. That’s especially true of Freeman, who took another giant step backwards in 2000 when he not only failed to lead the team in receptions for the first since 1995, but also posted his lowest yardage total since 1996.

    After he spent the last week of the season on the inactive list for disciplinary reasons, team insiders began to openly wonder which was more bothersome: Freeman’s failure to achieve as expected on the field or his churlish and disruptive behavior off it?

    Schroeder led the Packers in receiving yards last year with 999, and has been a consistent producer, but coaches would like to see him pick up more yardage after the catch. Corey Bradford was poised to challenge for a starting job last year before sustaining a broken tibia and knee injury. Deep speed is his biggest asset, but Bradford has to prove he can stay healthy before anybody starts counting on him. Ferguson is a physically imposing -- but raw -- specimen. However, he appears to have the kind of work ethic and intensity necessary to step up quickly. Coaches hope he works as a backup this year, but if Freeman struggles, they might be willing to throw the youngster into the fray early. Second-year man Charles Lee has been practicing behind Freeman at flanker after spending all of last year at split end and Rosserly recently told reporters, “By midseason, he’ll able to play both.” Lee showed up for the team’s April mini-camp weighing 210, eight pounds more than he weighed last year, after spending the offseason pumping iron. Donald Driver filled in for Bradford as the No. 3 man last year and finished with 21 receptions for 322 yards and one touchdown; unfortunately, at 6-0 and 177 pounds, he’s the smallest receiver on the roster.

    Parting Shot: Asked about any regrets he might have on his last day as Packer GM on June 1, Ron Wolf didn't hesitate to single out the $42 million contract he handed Freeman before the 1999 season. "I think we probably paid him too much money,'' Wolf said of the star wide out who has grown increasingly lazy and obstinate since then.”

    For What It’s Worth: In an article published on June 10, Freeman told Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Michael Cunningham he was embarrassed by his performance on the field -- and his behavior off it -- last year. The veteran also acknowledged the need to regain the trust of management and teammates this summer because of his actions. He summed the situation up by telling Cunningham, "When 53 guys are going in one direction and one is going in the other, it is not good."

    But a July 20 article by Journal Sentinel staffer Jessica McBride isn’t going to help Freeman regain anybody’s trust.

    According to McBride, Freeman almost forced authorities to revoke his one-year probation by missing meetings, blowing off community service and failing to take drug tests as requested. In fact, the workers assigned to supervise him were unable to reach him at all for the first three months of his sentence and Freeman didn’t contact them until head coach Mike Sherman became involved.

    The truth is many of his many teammates -- some of whom still call Freeman “Cyrus the Virus” after John Malkovich’s character in the 1997 film Con Air – were already convinced last year’s shenanigans represented a shift in lifestyle that isn't going to change any time soon."

    Indianapolis Colts

    Primary Battle Front: No. 2 spot up for grabs. ... again
    It’s Battle Royale time again in Indy as the Colts open yet another camp with a handful of promising -- but not quite ready for prime time -- players standing by to duke it out for the right to line up as the starter opposite Marvin Harrison this fall.

    This year’s list of contenders includes -- but probably isn’t limited to:

    The Usual Suspects
    Jerome Pathon, Terrence Wilkins and E.G. Green -- all of whom have taken their fair share of snaps as first teamers -- are back for another go ‘round this summer. Coaches would love for Green or Pathon to step up lay claim to the prize, but neither guy has proven durable enough to hang when given the opportunity. However, it sounds like team officials have learned their lesson when it comes to Wilkins, who is far more effective working out of the slot as the No. 3 man than he is working on the outside as a starter.

    The Kid
    Peyton Manning had nothing but praise for first-round draft pick Reggie Wayne after the team's first mini-camp in April, but his might have been the minority view. Those who follow the team closely say Wayne didn't catch the ball nearly as well as anticipated and more than a few teammates questioned whether he lived up to his pre-draft hype. Wayne -- who covers 40 yards in the 4.5-4.6 second range -- isn't considered a sprinter, but some veterans thought he was even slower than that after watching him work out.

    But the former Miami star appeared to hit his stride in June. He received invaluable work with the No. 1 unit and flashed the traits that convinced the team to select him 30th overall -- sure hands and precise route running. He also gave an indication that he'll be able to do damage after the catch.

    The Outsider
    After spending his rookie season on the injured reserve list with fractured ribs, Trevor Insley heads into camp hot on the heels of a stellar NFL Europe campaign. He isn’t big (6-0, 190) or particularly fast (4.58 in the 40), but that didn’t keep him from leading a high-powered Barcelona offense in receiving -- or earning All-NFL Europe honors -- by pulling in 61 passes (second in the league) for 658 yards (third in the league) with a pair of TD catches. He averaged 14.1 yards per return and added another touchdown running back punts.

    Insley’s strength lies in his route running, hands and ability to work the middle of the field.

    Not that his productivity comes as a complete surprise. Insley set NCAA Division I-A records for receptions (298), receiving yards (5,005) and 100-yard games (26) during his collegiate career at Nevada-Reno. He posted six 200-yard games as a senior.

    The Outcome?
    Unfortunately, Insley’s past exploits hardly guarantee him a roster spot since the Colts aren’t expected to carry more than five wide outs on their regular season roster. So, with Harrison -- a two-time Pro Bowl selection -- and Wayne mortal locks to make the final roster. Pathon, Wilkins and a healthy Green aren’t likely to lay down either.

    Jacksonville Jaguars

    Injury (Non) Concern: Jimmy Smith (abdominal ailment)
    Smith spent 37 days in hospitals, underwent abdominal surgery three different times and lost nearly 30 pounds and there’s no doubt in my mind the veteran truly believes it when he says he’ll be 100 percent in time for the regular season opener.

    A realistic assessment?

    Smith was almost back up to his playing weight of 208 pounds when he met with reporters on June 13. The veteran noted that he's working hard and he insisted, "I'm going to be ready. It's hard to pinpoint percentage-wise, but I'm lifting and I'm running."

    Bottom line? Smith has a long history of overcoming adversity; he's pulled in more receptions and racked up more receiving yards than any other receiver in the league over the last five seasons. I ain’t betting against him.

    Noteworthy
    Despite coming off a disappointing 2000 season in Seattle, Sean Dawkins provides the team with veteran insurance in case Smith struggles and a potentially effective No. 3 man if he doesn’t.

    Randal Williams heads into camp after catching head coach Tom Coughlin’s eye during the team’s final mini-camp. With questions regarding Smith’s health and the four-game suspension R. Jay Soward has to serve this fall, the 6-3, 219-pound Williams --- a rookie out of New Hampshire -- has a legitimate chance at a roster spot with a solid camp.

    Based on his failure to emerge as a legitimate threat and the team’s salary cap woes, Alvis Whitted could be sent packing in order to clear up some cap room.

    Kansas City Chiefs

    Injury Concerns: Sylvester Morris (ACL -- 6/20/01)
    Just as it was starting to look like he was ready to emerge as a major offensive weapon, Morris suffered a major knee injury during a mini-camp practice and the second-year man isn’t likely to return until next season.

    Primary Battle Front: Marvin “Snoop” Minnis vs. Derrick Mayes
    The decision to sign free agent Mayes to a one-year deal after losing Morris wasn’t necessarily a surprise, but the former Notre Dame star is hardly the kind of receiver head coach Dick Vermeil and henchman Al Saunders need to make their system work.

    Mayes catches the ball just fine, but he simply doesn’t offer much in terms of speed.

    This explains why team officials are so eager to give Minnis, a third-round pick from Florida State, a shot to compete with Mayes for the starting spot opposite Derrick Alexander. Coaches actually went into the draft with an eye on Minnis, who they liked because he played in an NFL-style passing offense at Florida State and displayed the kind of quick feet that Vermeil and Saunders can’t resist.

    There are concerns regarding his rather narrow, 6-1, 171-pound frame and his ability to produce consistently over the course of a 16-game NFL schedule.

    "There is no doubt that he can play football," wide receivers coach Charlie Joiner said about Minnis after the Chiefs' first mini-camp. "He can catch the ball, and he knows how to get open. The tough part for any rookie is getting through that first season, because it's so much longer than anything they've ever experienced."

    But to date, Minnis has proven to be pretty darned durable, a fact that Pro Football Weekly duly noted in their official NFL.com draft capsule, which uses the phrase “skinny as a rail; tough as a nail” to describe “Snoop.”

    The Greed For Speed
    If you’re not familiar with the importance Vermeil and Saunders place on speed, the following tidbit should give you a little insight: They were scheduled to meet with Olympic sprinter John Capel, who played two years of football in college at Florida, on Wednesday.

    "If he can pass the physical, I think we'll sign him," Vermeil explained. “We needed another young receiver with the loss of [Morris] in terms of numbers at training camp. I really liked this kid at the Indianapolis combine workouts. He has something I can't coach and Saunders can't coach. He has great speed. It's just that he's really raw."

    Of course, the coach failed to mention Capel is probably really high, too. In case you missed it, Capel will start his NFL career as a "Phase One" offender under the league's substance abuse policy after testing positive for marijuana at the NFL scouting combine. Capel dug his hole even deeper, however, on May 5 when he was arrested in Florida and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana after a deputy discovered about 20 grams of what was alleged to be pot in the speedster's car during a routine traffic stop.

    And if that wasn't enough to catch Paul Tagliabue’s attention, Capel was the only 2001 draftee to blow off this year's Rookie Symposium. The Bears, who drafted Capel in the seventh round of April’s draft, relinquished all rights to the youngster last week. General manager Jerry Angelo explaining his decision by saying, “You hate to give up on a draft pick, especially before camp, but the fact is John did not display the desire needed to be a member of this football team, his actions left us with little choice but to severe the relationship and move forward."

    But Vermeil’s willingness to overlook Capel’s transgressions comes as no surprise to anybody who remembers the way he coddled Lawrence Phillips back in 1996. Vermeil even went to the trouble of flying to Lincoln just before beginning his first head coaching assignment in 14 years, in order to personally accompany the troubled youngster back to St. Louis the day he was released from the Lancaster County Corrections Facility.

    And One Last Note:
    According to Kansas City Star reporter Adam Teicher, Vermeil and his assistants haven’t been especially impressed with Alexander's offseason workouts. In fact, Vermeil was especially displeased when the veteran skipped a handful of mini-camp workouts to go on his honeymoon. But it won’t take long for the staff to realize the laid back Alexander they see on the practice field every day bears little or no resemblance to the guy who shows every Sunday during the regular season.

    Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications. His work is prominently displayed in all four FSP Fantasy annuals -- Fantasy Football Pro Forecast, Fantasy Football Experts Poll, Fantasy Football Cheatsheets and the Fantasy Football DraftBook. ... Look for all four on newsstands nationwide or Order them online now!


     
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