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.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Pioli Zombie

Why do people think they are saying anything meaningful when they say this?
When Belichick kept with Brady had Brady failed Belichick would have failed. If Aikman was a flop then Johnson would have flopped. If Montana didn't turn out great Bill Walsh gets canned within 2 years.
Yes, Pioli's success is linked to Cassels performance
Duh.
Posted via Mobile Device

You DO realize which franchise in the NFL we're discussing here, yes? Two GM's, 40 years, give or take, yes?

[Jethopper]

Curry will lift you up on eagles winggggggggs.... bare you on the breath of dawn and make you shinnnnnnnne like the sun and hold you in the pallllllm of his handdddddd.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Pioli Zombie

Why do people think they are saying anything meaningful when they say this?
When Belichick kept with Brady had Brady failed Belichick would have failed. If Aikman was a flop then Johnson would have flopped. If Montana didn't turn out great Bill Walsh gets canned within 2 years.
Yes, Pioli's success is linked to Cassels performance
Duh.
Posted via Mobile Device

Because a GREAT majority of people here don't freaking believe it. That's why it's meaningful.

This fanbase watched not one QB fail but more than a DOZEN. And the GM was here for TWENTY YEARS. Chiefs fans don't yet have a good understanding of how the rest of the NFL actually works.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Raised On Riots

You DO realize which franchise in the NFL we're discussing here, yes? Two GM's, 40 years, give or take, yes?

Exactly.

[bdeg]

whoa i thought that was an ultimate warrior quote for a second

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by bdeg

well what you said was 'they were FULLY prepared to actually take him'
still don't understand what that means when they had the chance but chose not to
I agree with the last par though, just not the statement I was disputing.

I should have chosen my words more carefully.

The rest of the NFL actually BELIEVED that the Rams might take him. They didn't believe we would.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Jethopper

Curry will lift you up on eagles winggggggggs.... bare you on the breath of dawn and make you shinnnnnnnne like the sun and hold you in the pallllllm of his handdddddd.

Didn't the Ultimate Warrior become "Sting"?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by doomy3

Then why didn't they?

I don't know why they didn't, nor does it matter.

[doomy3]

Originally Posted by THISmaqe

Wrong.

I said it more than anyone else, and I NEVER said that we WOULD draft Sanchez.

I said that because Cassel hadn't signed a long-term deal we COULD draft Sanchez.

Don't sit here with hindsight and pretend that just because the outcome ended up being what you wanted that you actually knew what Pioli was thinkign. That's BS and you know it.

Well, of course we COULD have drafted Sanchez. We also COULD have drafted Michael Miller at #3. But as you said in a later post in this very thread, everyone in the NFL knew we weren't going to draft Sanchez, so why couldn't our board understand that?

And I don't and never have claimed to know what Pioli is/was thinking, but it doesn't take hindsight to see that this board was throwing out ridiculous hypotheticals about taking Sanchez that there was basically a 0% chance of happening.

And this thread is about Stafford anyway for some reason, who we actually did have a 0% chance of drafting.

[Pioli Zombie]

Originally Posted by Raised On Riots

You DO realize which franchise in the NFL we're discussing here, yes? Two GM's, 40 years, give or take, yes?

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

[bdeg]

Originally Posted by THISmaqe

I should have chosen my words more carefully.

The rest of the NFL actually BELIEVED that the Rams might take him. They didn't believe we would.

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

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Raised On Riots

If Sanchez and Stafford are not busts, and we know that Sanchez is going to start from day 1 this year while Detroit eases Stafford in to his role, do you really look forward to facing either of those guys when they hit 27 years old with all that NFL playing time under belt?

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.

[doomy3]

Originally Posted by THISmaqe

I should have chosen my words more carefully.

The rest of the NFL actually BELIEVED that the Rams might take him. They didn't believe we would.

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.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by doomy3

Well, of course we COULD have drafted Sanchez. We also COULD have drafted Michael Miller at #3. But as you said in a later post in this very thread, everyone in the NFL knew we weren't going to draft Sanchez, so why couldn't our board understand that?

And I don't and never have claimed to know what Pioli is/was thinking, but it doesn't take hindsight to see that this board was throwing out ridiculous hypotheticals about taking Sanchez that there was basically a 0% chance of happening.

And this thread is about Stafford anyway for some reason, who we actually did have a 0% chance of drafting.

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.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

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 hope you're right. 35 years of jack-shit is NOT good business.