LB Jesus and his Apostles rejoice

[Tribal Warfare]

Curry, Raji among minicamps' stars
By John Clayton
ESPN.com

The first weekend after the draft is always the biggest for minicamps.

Twenty-six teams held either full or rookie camps to orient their draft choices and get a read on how they did over the two-day draft in New York City. It's hard to make conclusive judgments on selections. Players aren't allowed to wear pads. No hitting is allowed. Rookies' heads are swimming with the overload from the new playbook being thrown at them.

Still, any time you can put 26 coaching staffs on a field with new players, things can be learned. Here are eight things we learned from this weekend.

1. Mark Sanchez is destined to be the starting quarterback of the New York Jets in Week 1. Politically, the Jets did the right thing by having offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer say Kellen Clemens was ahead of Sanchez. Clemens is entering his fourth season. He has eight NFL starts. He should be ahead of Sanchez. But anyone doubting Sanchez' ability to win over the coaching staff and Jets fans is wearing a blindfold. Sanchez showed everyone at the minicamp that he can make all the throws. More than that, he showed leadership. The story of how he got a good portion of the offense together at the hotel Thursday night to go over the playbook is a classic example of how Sanchez's head might be more important than his arm. It's pretty clear what direction the Jets are heading. Head coach Rex Ryan is going to try to run the ball 35 times a game in order to give Sanchez light throwing days during the regular season. Of all the draft choices working this weekend, Sanchez was probably the biggest winner.

2. Matthew Stafford isn't going to be rushed into service as the Detroit Lions' starter. General manager Martin Mayhew concluded the Lions' minicamp by saying he trusts Daunte Culpepper as a starter and he'd like to sign a veteran backup. The Lions' roster isn't like the Jets. The Lions are coming off an 0-16 season, and they don't have the offensive line or two-back combination to run the ball 35 times a game. Despite playing only 16 games as a collegian, Sanchez was supposed to be more prepared to play earlier in the NFL than Stafford. Minicamp proved that. Stafford unleashed incredible throws, but he's still a work in progress. That's not to say Stafford won't play this season. The plan is for Stafford to work with the coaching staff. When he's ready, he will play. The Lions are handling Stafford's entry into the NFL the right way.

3. Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora wasted no time making Aaron Curry his starting strongside linebacker. Curry was one of the stars of the Seahawks' minicamp. He's 15 pounds heavier than traded linebacker Julian Peterson, but he moves so well and has such a natural instinct for moving to the ball. Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu marveled at how naturally Curry fits into the defense during his first weekend. With Curry, Tatupu and Leroy Hill, the Seahawks have one of the best linebacking corps in football.

4. The Washington Redskins have a completely different plan for first-round choice Brian Orakpo than some people expected. At the Redskins' minicamp, Orakpo was used as the starting strongside linebacker. The plan is for him to blitz from the strong side on first and second downs. On passing downs, he will line up at right defensive end next to Albert Haynesworth, the former Tennessee Titans star who appeared dominating at his first Redskins camp. Orakpo was drafted to rush the passer. The surprise is that he won't just be doing it from a defensive end position.

5. Linebacker Shawne "roidman" Merriman served notice that he plans to be a dominating force again this season for the San Diego Chargers. "Lights Out" knows the spotlight is on him. He missed all but one game of the 2008 season because his knee needed surgery. He also knows management is looking at him with a judgmental eye. The Chargers drafted Larry English as a possible replacement if Merriman doesn't come back and dominate. Merriman is in the last year of his contract. English, though not tall, showed a relentless pass-rushing style. He's not ready to unseat Merriman, who questions those whom he said questioned his "football-hood."

6. The Carolina Panthers liked what they saw from second-round choice Everette Brown, who cost them a 2010 first-round pick to acquire in a trade. Coach John Fox knows the importance of getting a pass rush, and Brown showed he can help. Everyone noticed his first step and how he can get an edge on a blocker with that first step. One of the knocks on the pass-rushers of this draft was their lack of height compared to previous crops. For whatever reason, scouts feel more comfortable using first-round choices on pass-rushers who stand 6-foot-4 or taller. On the Panthers' official roster Brown is listed as 6-1, but he showed he can get around blockers. Julius Peppers wasn't at the minicamp because he hasn't signed his franchise tag. He probably will miss a good portion of training camp, but management feels he will be there for the regular season. In the meantime, the plan is to develop Brown as a rusher.

7. Even though Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy plans to have Ryan Pickett as the starting nose tackle, it's pretty clear the 3-4 defense is being built around first-round choice B.J. Raji. The former Boston College star didn't disappoint. For a while, Raji was practicing as the first-team nose tackle and second-team defensive end. He moves well for his size. He also seemed to fit in well with his teammates.

8. The Philadelphia Eagles' draft for offense looked even better on the field because fifth-round choice Cornelius Ingram did well over the weekend. The 245-pound tight end is coming off ACL surgery, yet caught the ball well and moved well on the field. He left camp with the thought that he could be in the playing mix this year. The team is also cautiously optimistic about the first-year impact of first-round draft pick wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. Head coach Andy Reid warns it might be hard for Maclin to match DeSean Jackson's 62-catch rookie season because Maclin comes from a spread offense. Jackson played in more of a West Coast offense at Cal. Reid said the intermediate routes are different in the spread because spread receivers run downfield or break shorter routes. Fortunately for the Eagles, Maclin seemed to pick up the intermediate routes well over the weekend.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Pioli Zombie

Clark doesn't seem to be like Lamar. He wouldn't let Pioli hang around for 20 years without anything to show for it.
Posted via Mobile Device

It's the "Show Me" state. Besides, it takes time to get used to change. "Seeming" to be different than Lamar isn't enough to change people's minds overnight.

[doomy3]

Originally Posted by THISmaqe

Saying there was a 0% chance of us taking Sanchez before the draft ever took place IS claiming to know what Pioli was thinking.

Suggesting that nothing is set in stone until Cassel signs a contract isn't ridiculous at all, it's realistic.

If the rest of the league could see it, which you admit, why couldn't this board?

[bdeg]

Originally Posted by Pioli Zombie

Clark doesn't seem to be like Lamar. He wouldn't let Pioli hang around for 20 years without anything to show for it.
Posted via Mobile Device

I think unless we continue to see top 5 picks he'll get at least a 5 year opportunity to turn it around, mostly based on his reputation but also assuming Clark agrees with moves for the most part.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by bdeg

They may have wanted people to think that, but obviously the brainwashing wasn't enough to convince the jets. or anyone else interested enough to pay the price

They weren't willing to pay the price because the whole league basically thought that if the Rams passed on him he would automatically fall to #5.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by doomy3

If the rest of the league could see it, which you admit, why couldn't this board?

I'm talking about speculation of the rest of the league in the few days/hours leading up to the draft.

We've been talking about it for MONTHS.

[Pioli Zombie]

Originally Posted by Saccogoo

Opposed to what? Brady? Romo? Cutler?

For crying out loud, get off these guys jocks. They have done absolutely nothing. Nothing. And it's a team game. Cutler, for all his tools, never got the Doncos into the playoffs. All you people thinking that the Chiefs would be miraculously saved if they had drafted either Stafford or Sanchez are either delusional or stupid or both.

Neither of these guys were of an Elway caliber, and there were questions about their games - enough of them to make numerous GM's, including our Chiefs, make Cassel their primary target. Hell, McDaniels ruined an entire franchise and his future career in the league in an effort to get Cassel on his team. If Sanchez and Stafford were considered an elite franchise level quarterback like Elway or Peyton Manning, you would have seen a complete bidding war in order for all those QB starved teams in the league (and there are a lot of them). But they aren't. They were the best quarterbacks in a really weak QB draft class, and there is no guarantee of greatness with either one of them.

Seriously. Get over it. And while you are doing that, the Curry shit is getting annoying as well. Chiefs didn't draft him, not on our team, and no one here on the CP pimped him as hard as the guys who spent the better part of the last six months polishing Sanchez's knob.

If you can't get over your latent homo-erotic fixation of Sanchez, just go purchase a Jets jersey and be done with it.

Holy Crap!!!! This the best effen post I have read on the subject in six months. Awesome job Saccagoo!!!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by doomy3

Has it ever come out from anyone other than someone on TV trying to get more ratings that there were actual offers for the Rams' pick? I saw the same coverage as you, and yes, there was the Rams GM saying they were getting all these calls, but it is very odd that those calls completely stopped at 3. Especially when Seattle and Cleveland were rumored to be interested in Sanchez too.

I don't talk to NFL GM's, sorry. I can only go on those people on TV that you don't trust.

And across the board they've said NFL personnel people believed that the Rams were interested but the Chiefs and Seahawks weren't.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Saccogoo

Opposed to what? Brady? Romo? Cutler?

For crying out loud, get off these guys jocks. They have done absolutely nothing. Nothing. And it's a team game. Cutler, for all his tools, never got the Doncos into the playoffs. All you people thinking that the Chiefs would be miraculously saved if they had drafted either Stafford or Sanchez are either delusional or stupid or both.

Neither of these guys were of an Elway caliber, and there were questions about their games - enough of them to make numerous GM's, including our Chiefs, make Cassel their primary target. Hell, McDaniels ruined an entire franchise and his future career in the league in an effort to get Cassel on his team. If Sanchez and Stafford were considered an elite franchise level quarterback like Elway or Peyton Manning, you would have seen a complete bidding war in order for all those QB starved teams in the league (and there are a lot of them). But they aren't. They were the best quarterbacks in a really weak QB draft class, and there is no guarantee of greatness with either one of them.

Seriously. Get over it. And while you are doing that, the Curry shit is getting annoying as well. Chiefs didn't draft him, not on our team, and no one here on the CP pimped him as hard as the guys who spent the better part of the last six months polishing Sanchez's knob.

If you can't get over your latent homo-erotic fixation of Sanchez, just go purchase a Jets jersey and be done with it.

Listen you mother****er; **** YOU. I will like whoever I want to like as a player, whether he wears a Chiefs jersey or not, you arrogant son of a goat ****er!

Neg rep, **** you, **** your mother, wife, and sister, and get the **** out my face, bitch!!!`

[Pioli Zombie]

Originally Posted by bdeg

I think unless we continue to see top 5 picks he'll get at least a 5 year opportunity to turn it around, mostly based on his reputation but also assuming Clark agrees with moves for the most part.

Well any GM should get 5 years unless he's a reerun like Matt Millen. He won't get 20 however.
Posted via Mobile Device

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Pioli Zombie

Holy Crap!!!! This the best effen post I have read on the subject in six months. Awesome job Saccagoo!!!!
Posted via Mobile Device

Except that the part about Curry is absolute unadulterated bullshit.

The Curry love here was EVERY BIT as bad as the Sanchez hype. He's just trying to pass it off because he was one of the worst Curry worshipers.

[Pioli Zombie]

Originally Posted by Raised On Riots

Listen you mother****er; **** YOU. I will like whoever I want to like as a player, whether he wears a Chiefs jersey or not, you arrogant son of a goat ****er!

Neg rep, **** you, **** your mother, wife, and sister, and get the **** out my face, bitch!!!`

I think Saccagoo hit a nerve in the musclehead.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by THISmaqe

Saying there was a 0% chance of us taking Sanchez before the draft ever took place IS claiming to know what Pioli was thinking.

Suggesting that nothing is set in stone until Cassel signs a contract isn't ridiculous at all, it's realistic.

Had the contract been a done deal before the draft, even I would have thrown up my hands and said, "ok, shows over".

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Pioli Zombie

I think Saccagoo hit a nerve in the musclehead.
Posted via Mobile Device

**** him! I guess I should have hated Barry Sanders too? Arrogant ****ing prick.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by THISmaqe

Saying there was a 0% chance of us taking Sanchez before the draft ever took place IS claiming to know what Pioli was thinking.

Suggesting that nothing is set in stone until Cassel signs a contract isn't ridiculous at all, it's realistic.

If I say there was a zero percent chance of the Chiefs taking Mack with the third pick, does that mean I know what Pioli is thinking?

[doomy3]

Originally Posted by Raised On Riots

**** him! I guess I should have hated Barry Sanders too? Arrogant ****ing prick.

Overreact much? He just says to quit polishing his knob. I guess for you, it's either hate or suck their dick. Nothing in between.