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Minicamp mini-dramas starting to unfold

Edgerrin James is looking to redo his contract fresh off surgery for a torn ACL. Elsa/Allsport

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

Yo! Get your gear together boys and girls. It's time to go minicamping!

I'll be up front with you: I'm a minicamp junkie. I find the nonstop stream of detailed info emanating from each and every workout, conditioning drill and coaching session -- which generally begin the last weekend in April and first weekend in May -- almost mesmerizing.

And for some reason, these early sessions almost always offer a handful of dramatic storylines that often wind up running well into the regular season.

Somebody always seems to suffer a sudden season-ending injury. Players rehabbing from previous injuries either struggle to regain past form or bounce back from their infirmities with surprising speed. More than a few players will decide it's time to take a stand and let the world know they're not making the kind of money they deserve. This as team officials scramble to clear enough room under the salary cap to make get all their rookies under contract in a timely manner.

And of course, it's also the first chance we get to see the annual incoming crop of new head coaches and how they deal with their new jobs, surroundings and players. Systems are installed. Chemistry is developed. Some newcomers struggle while others excel.

What could be better?

Well lemme tell ya. The best part of these preseason sessions lies in the fact that following them more closely than the other owners in your league will absolutely, without a doubt give you an edge come draft day.

And what's the best way to stay on top of the various scenarios that will play out and have an inevitable impact on the teams and individuals involved over the next two months?

You're looking at it.

Continue to hit this page on a weekly basis and I'll make sure you get the goods -- starting right here, right now.

I'll go ahead and get the ball rolling by taking a look at some of the more dramatic stories arising from last weekend's workouts, the first serious sessions of the year.

Spurrier's start

Less than a week after he told reporters that the Redskins were no longer interested in signing Shane Matthews, Steve Spurrier pulled an abrupt about face and did just that by hastily agreeing to a one-year deal with the veteran signal caller Monday afternoon. Matthews, who was released by the Chicago Bears last week, will be reunited with Spurrier, for whom he played at the University of Florida. He immediately becomes the odds-on favorite to win the starting job.

The move comes in the wake of a three-day minicamp in which Spurrier's four-way quarterback competition got off to what I'll charitably characterize as an inauspicious start. According to observers, Sage Rosenfels, Danny Wuerffel and Dameyune Craig had their share of short-hops and overthrows, and first-round draft pick Patrick Ramsey hardly threw the ball at all. "Nobody's looking super," Spurrier said after watching the initial session. "We've got to play a lot better than we were pitching around today, that's for sure."

Not surprisingly, Matthews' arrival resulted in the release of Craig, who joined the team as a free agent in March.

In case you missed it, Spurrier told reporters last Wednesday night the Redskins, who tried earlier in the offseason to trade a low-round draft choice to the Bears for Matthews, were prepared to open training cam with Ramsey, Wuerffel, Rosenfels and Craig.

"Right now, we're not going to sign any more quarterbacks," Spurrier said at the time. "Before the draft, we attempted to trade for Shane and it just didn't work out. And then the draft came up, and we kind of made a commitment to Patrick Ramsey.

"We've made a commitment to Danny Wuerffel and Sage Rosenfels and Dameyune Craig. Right now, it would be very, very difficult to train five quarterbacks. When we made a decision to draft Patrick Ramsey, we made a decision to allow him to develop as quickly as possible. That's where we are right now."

The coach went on to say a sudden rash of injuries would probably be the only thing that might prompt the team to sign Matthews.

"If they all get hurt and we need a quarterback and Shane is available, we'd certainly go for him," Spurrier explained. "We thought having him as an experienced quarterback a week or two ago would be good. But we made a decision to go a certain direction."

In Spurrier's defense, he really couldn't come right out and admit that in addition to a sudden rash of injuries, the sudden realization that Wuerffel, Rosenfels, Craig and Ramsey all sucked harder than brand new Hoovers, might also lead him to rethink his position on Matthews.

Especially after he spent the last two months telling anybody willing to listen that Wuerffel is more than capable of getting the job done. At one point, Spurrier went so far as to say, "It will be fun proving guys wrong. One of the writers said [acquiring Wuerffel was] a bad move. I was just curious. How many quarterbacks has this guy coached? I've been coaching Danny his whole life."

And by golly, Wuerffel led the Gators to a national title with Spurrier's guidance. He also won a Heisman Trophy and finished his career at Florida as the highest-rated passer in the history of college football not to mention the winningest in the history of the SEC.

None of which changes the fact that Wuerffel has started a grand total of six games -- all six of them for the New Orleans Saints in 1997 and '98 -- over the course of an eight-year NFL career that we'll be kind enough to call mediocre. After all, we're talking about a guy who has only completed 48.8 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and 16 interceptions while compiling a career passer rating of 51.2.

The moral of this story? The SEC ain't the NFL, Ballcoach. Get used to it.

Clipped wings

The Eagles' first workout of the year was marred last Friday when Correll Buckhalter went down with a torn ACL. The former Cornhusker will require surgery to repair the tear. The normal rehabilitation period for such an injury is 9-12 months.

"No one hit him," said head trainer Rick Burhholder. "He just stepped and the ACL went. He stepped right, then stepped left. And the knee just buckled."

Buckhalter, expected to receive significant playing time in 2002 after a successful rookie season, injured his knee on a short passing play midway through the first practice session.

Buckhalter, who gained 586 yards on 129 attempts last season, was hurt while making a cut after catching a short pass out of the backfield. The 2001 fourth round pick out of Nebraska fell to the ground and had to be carted off the practice field by the Eagles training staff.

The season-long loss of the former Nebraska star almost certainly means Philadelphia will have to add a veteran tailback. The starting job now clearly belongs to veteran Duce Staley, who has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but there is not much in the way of experience behind him.

"It's not good," said head coach Andy Reid. "We're lucky enough that we have Duce and some of these younger players."

It's worth noting that more than a few observers believed Staley might be released after June 1, when teams can soften the hit on their salary caps, but that's no longer the case. Staley struggled at times in 2001 after rehabilitating from foot surgery that kept him out for all but five games of the previous season. He led the team in rushing, though, with 604 yards.

For what it's worth, Dorsey Levens visited with Reid and passed a team physical Monday, but he left town without a contract offer. According to those who follow the team closely, Philadelphia will have Ki-Jana Carter, an unrestricted free agent who backed up Stephen Davis in Washington last year, in for a visit before they make any decisions.

Tice is right

In Minnesota, the Vikings decided against re-signing Pro Bowl kicker Gary Anderson, the NFL's career leading scorer, signing Doug Brien to replace him. Anderson, an unrestricted free agent who had been with the Vikings since 1998, has been limited to working strictly as a placement man in recent seasons. Mitch Berger, who was cut by the Vikings and signed with St. Louis earlier this year, handled both kickoffs and punts during his tenure in Minnesota.

Head coach Mike Tice considered carrying three kickers on his roster, but in the end, Anderson's fate was determined by the need to sign a long snapper. In statement released Monday afternoon, Tice said: "We exhausted every possible option that would allow us to keep Gary Anderson as our kicker."

According to St. Paul Pioneer Press beat writer Bill Williamson, one of Tice's pet offseason projects -- convincing Randy Moss to take on more of a leadership role in the wake of Cris Carter's departure -- appears to be coming along nicely.

At one point during last Friday's workout, a rather confused Kelly Campbell was having a hard time figuring out where he was supposed to line up after leaving the huddle. Moss responded by hollering out the information necessary for the undrafted rookie receiver to correctly set himself before the ball was snapped.

After the play, the former Marshall star complimented Campbell for quickly picking up on the instructions and calmly correcting his mistake.

But Moss is still getting used to the idea of taking on the additional responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with being a team leader.

"I don't know whether to be happy," said Moss, who Williamson characterized as cheerful and verbose during a Friday press conference. "I guess I've always had the leadership, but now since it's Tice's turn, I guess he's put it all on my shoulders. I look forward to it this season."

In fact, Moss told reporters he was looking forward to making a fresh start in 2002 after a tumultuous 2001 season. He was also complimentary of offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's scheme.

"Over the last couple of years it was hard not knowing what to do on this play, not knowing what to do on that play," Moss said. "We were doing a lot of ad-libbing on the field."

The only subject Moss wasn't interested in talking about was Carter. He was short with his answers to two questions about Carter.

The two receivers had a rift last season. Moss has stayed in the Twin Cities this offseason to work out. In previous seasons he worked out at Carter's speed camp in Florida. But he did get some digs in while making a veiled reference to Carter.

"At the beginning of [last] season, we had a lot of fire but once certain people started bickering and arguing about certain things, it was hard to get back on track," Moss explained. "Just having young guys out there playing with me, it makes it easier for me."

After focusing on other areas of need during the draft, the Vikings have turned their attention to finding Moss some help on the outside -- a process they advanced last Thursday by signing Sean Dawkins to a one-year contract.

Dawkins will compete for playing time with fellow free-agent acquisition D'Wayne Bates in the team's multiple receiver sets. According to those who follow the team closely, coaches believe the combination of Dawkins, Bates and tight end Byron Chamberlain -- who will line up as a receiver in many of Linehan's two-tight end sets -- is ideally suited to handling the kind of possession work Carter has handled in recent years.

And the Vikings continue to pursue free-agent-to-be Derrick Alexander, who showed up at team headquarters for a physical late last week. The Chiefs have given Alexander permission to visit other teams because they plan to release him in a cap-related move after June 1.

Team officials believe Alexander would make an ideal No. 2 man. If nothing else, his presence would give the Vikings two long-ball threats and take some much-needed pressure off Moss.

The Vikings demonstrated their interest in Alexander by making sure they were the first team to bring him in for a visit. Tampa Bay, Atlanta and San Diego have also expressed interest in the former Michigan star's services, but none of them have gone to as much trouble to make him feel wanted as Minnesota has.

On the Edge

And then there were the holdouts.

Starting in Indianapolis, where running back Edgerrin James to boycott a mandatory three-day minicamp that concluded Sunday.

The fact that it was the first minicamp under new head coach Tony Dungy -- not to mention the fact that James is coming off reconstructive knee surgery -- adds to the intrigue.

Although the former first-round draft pick hasn't said as much, it's believed his absence is connected to the team's reluctance to renegotiate the final three years of his contract.

Team president Bill Polian said on Friday that associates of James' agent, Leigh Steinberg, have made repeated attempts to renegotiate their client's deal, including one that involved a $4.91 million signing bonus.

He also said the decision not to attend is both a breach of James' contract and a violation of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, and that James will be fined by the team.

James' current contract is an incentive-laden deal that, along with his base salary -- which is $1.25 million in 2002 -- will allow him to earn a maximum of $3.875 million each season by reaching certain performance levels.

If James hits those incentives, his salary-cap number approaches $7 million.

James earned the incentives during his first two years in the league. However, the season-ending knee injury he suffered last October in Kansas City kept him from cashing in again.

It appears what's at issue is the Colts' decision not to guarantee any more money, perhaps until they are certain James returns to the form that enabled him to lead the league in rushing in 1999 and 2000.

James would prefer to swap out those incentives for either higher base salaries or guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus.

To be honest with you, it's not hard to understand the Colts' position on this one.

After all, the team has already paid James more over the last three years -- $21 million -- than any other running back in the league.

And as Polian noted in a statement released last Friday: "During that time, $9.5 million of that amount was in the form of a signing bonus, which expressly requires Edgerrin to honor each year of his contract.

"Our attorneys have advised me that we should have no further comment beyond this statement."

Fortunately, James hasn't burned any bridges -- yet.

Asked if he wanted the former first-round draft pick to remain with the organization, Polian quickly replied, "Absolutely."

Some observers believe team officials would be more open to the idea of discussing a new deal if James, who has been in South Florida rehabilitating a knee injury since midway through last season, were a little more communicative. But that hasn't been the case.

In fact, Polian hasn't actually talked with the star running back since "perhaps the end of last season."

Even though Polian told reporters last week that James should be ready for training camp this summer, how much he does and how soon he looks like a two-time NFL rushing champion remains to be seen. Remember: James suffered a torn ACL. That's a tough injury for any player to overcome, let alone a running back -- especially a running back like James, who uses his ability to make sharp cuts to keep defenders off balance.

ColtsPower.com staffer Ed Thompson laid it out nicely in an article published Saturday, by asking: How often do NFL teams negotiate better deals for players coming off a devastating knee injuries without knowing whether said injury is fully healed or if the player in question hasn't lost a step?

The answer is simple: It doesn't happen. ... Ever.

James' position is further weakened by the fact that second-year man-to-be Dominic Rhodes racked up more than 1,100 rushing yards as the starter in his absence last year.

Of course, the fact that Friday marked the first time the entire team got together as a group since Dungy's arrival might turn out to be the real story here. Even though the chances of an extended holdout are probably slim, James' failure to show up as expected leaves Dungy in a bit of a lurch if for no other reason than it was his first chance to "lay down the law" and let everyone know what's expected of them and how business will be conducted during his tenure.

More than 80 players were on hand when the festivities began last Friday. James was the only no-show.

I think it's worth noting that Dungy reportedly went out of his way to make sure James understood what was expected of him on at least two different occasions.

"My discussions with him have really been positive," the coach said earlier this month. "I know he likes to spend time in Florida, and we try to build that into the schedule. Not just for him, but for everybody to have the time in the offseason.

"I don't think you have to be in Indianapolis 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But there are times when we're going to need him there."

This minicamp was one of them.

"What we talked about was leadership on the team, No. 1, and No. 2, what the schedule is going to be," Dungy said last weekend. "There will be certain times when we need everybody there. We spelled those out clearly on the calendar. The other times are their discretionary times.

"I told him on these blocks [referring to the team's two mandatory mini-camps this year -- last weekend's three-day affair and a two-day session scheduled for May 17-18] we really need you here, and he seemed to be fired up for it."

James might have got over on him this time, but Dungy is a "fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me" kind of guy.

And so is Polian, who didn't hesitate to ship Marshall Faulk off to St. Louis for a pair of draft picks the minute he sensed the former San Diego State star's attitude might lead to problems in the locker room.

"I haven't the vaguest idea," he said. "These kinds of situations have happened before with this same cast of characters, so I'm not surprised by it. ..."

Raiders not fazed by Gannon's absence

Nobody at Raiders headquarters seemed especially upset by Rich Gannon's failure to show up as expected last Friday, but as San Jose Mercury News staffer John Ryan noted Saturday, an extended absence would certainly be cause for concern.

"If it goes into June, maybe we should start to worry a little bit. If it goes into July, watch out," veteran wideout Jerry Rice said.

Not surprisingly, Gannon is less-than-pleased with his current contract and even less pleased with the team's reluctance to extend it. He is scheduled to make $2 million in salary this season, well under market value for a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback and two-time division winner. He is scheduled to make $5 million next year, but both sides can void the deal.

This minicamp is voluntary, but Gannon's absence is noteworthy because he's always been outspoken about the value of offseason workouts.

"It is a voluntary camp and he's at home in Minnesota," his agent, Tom Condon, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Condon, who would not comment on contract issues, said that he expected Gannon, who also missed a recent quarterback orientation, to attend the team's mandatory minicamp in June.

"I want him here. I always want him here," head coach Bill Callahan said. "I know he wants to be here. But I'm sure he'll resolve this situation in time, and I feel very confident he'll be back here by the June mini-camp."

Raiders senior assistant Bruce Allen declined to comment on negotiations, if there are any, with Condon.

"I don't think it's an issue. Rich is our quarterback," Allen said. "If you don't think he's preparing right now to have a great season, you're crazy."

Just for the record. ... Veteran receiver Tim Brown, who was excused for personal reasons, place-kicker Sebastian Janikowski and punter Shane Lecher were also absent this past weekend.

I'll also point out that No. 2 QB Bobby Hoying, recovering from surgery to repair a ligament in his right elbow, was held out of throwing drills last weekend. Hoying has been throwing softly for months, but the Raiders are being cautious.

"My goal is to be back for the June mini-camp," Hoying said. "Hopefully I can get there. But I don't even know if they'll let me go if I can go."

Marques Tuiasosopo sat atop the quarterback depth chart for this minicamp, with Rick Mirer and seventh-round draft pick Ronald Curry behind him.

Dropping the ball?

The big news in Arizona currently surrounds David Boston, who is coming off a breakout season in which he emerged as one of the league's top wideouts. The former Ohio State star closed out the 2001 season with 98 catches for 1,598 yards and eight touchdowns. He also set a team record with nine 100-yard games and earned his first Pro Bowl berth.

Unfortunately, he heads into the 2002 season with a cloud hanging over his head after testing positive for cocaine and marijuana in the wake of a rather strange incident in which two people who live in Boston's neighborhood called police and said they had witnessed a man driving erratically. They had followed him home and told police where he was. The cops knocked on Boston's door and administered a field sobriety test. He didn't do well, so they took him to the precinct and did a blood test.

I should note that Boston spoke -- in what one can only assume was a less than forthright manner -- with his attorney, who obviously believing his client was not under the influence of either cocaine or marijuana, advised Boston to cooperate with the investigation.

While a conviction could lead to a fine or suspension by the NFL, as long as this is his Boston's first strike -- and we can only speculate that it is because the NFL doesn't announce first strikes -- then it's doubtful he will be suspended. A second offense usually results in missing four games. A third strike has resulted in a year's suspension for some.

But I think the real concern here stems from the Cardinals reaction to the situation.

Although they've yet to make a public statement regarding the situation, I'd say team officials were clearly sending somebody a message last Friday when they quietly removed Boston's picture from a page on their official Web site promoting ticket sales.

Editor's note: On Wednesday, police dropped drug possession charges against Boston but have recommended filing a charge of driving under the influence of drugs.

Harrington impressive early

The buzz in Detroit was all good in the wake of rookie Joey Harrington's first workouts with the Lions last weekend. In fact, veterans on both sides of the ball were reportedly impressed with the way Harrington conducted himself at the minicamp, which was held at the team's brand new practice facility.

"He doesn't seem to throw a lot of incomplete passes," defensive end Robert Porcher told The Detroit News. "The times I saw him throw, he was connecting on each one of them.

"I'm not an offensive guru, but when he throws passes, they seem to be right in stride."

Ty Detmer, a 10-year NFL veteran and Lions backup quarterback, was just as impressed with Harrington.

"A guy like Joey doesn't come along all the time," Detmer told the Detroit Free Press. "When you have that opportunity, you've got to take advantage of it. They did, so I don't think they'll have to mess with the quarterback position for the next three or four years."

Despite the positive reviews, head coach Marty Mornhinweg insists Mike McMahon, who started three games last season as a rookie, is the No. 1 quarterback, and Detmer is the designated backup.

Whether Harrington changes the order before the regular season begins remains to be seen.

"The biggest thing I take from this weekend is the confidence that I can play here," Harrington told Booth News Service. "Coming into this weekend, I was a little shaky, to be perfectly honest. I wondered in my head what it was going to be like.

"Now I know I can compete with these guys, I know I can make the throws I need to make."

Wearing new stripes?

The Cincinnati Bengals have not only offered free agent quarterback Gus Frerotte a contract, but they've also told him he could compete for the starting job held by Jon Kitna.

Team spokesman Jack Brennan confirmed Tuesday that the Bengals had presented an offer to Frerotte, although neither the Bengals nor Frerotte's agent, Marvin Demoff, would confirm the terms of the contract.

A year ago, the Bengals offered four-year contracts to both Frerotte and Kitna, and Kitna was the first to accept. Frerotte signed with the Denver Broncos as a backup to Brian Griese.

Frerotte, 30, who also has played for Washington and Detroit, worked out for the Bengals last week. He told them he would be interested in signing if he were given a chance to compete for the starting job. Otherwise, he said he would focus on re-signing with Denver.

Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said Frerotte displayed the same traits -- accuracy, arm strength and team management -- that the team's coaches liked a year ago.

That's it for now. ... Check back next week when I'll offer up a collection of less dramatic -- but perhaps just as important -- news, notes and other Fantasy-specific tidbits for your reading pleasure.

Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications.

 

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