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The NFL is a league of trends and, with training camps set to open next
month, here is an element to watch once teams report for the summer
workouts: Eleven franchises, more than one-third of the teams in the league, have
new defensive coordinators for 2002.
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The best thing you can do, I think, is simplify as much as you can. You do that and
you cut down on the mental errors and the physical stuff takes care of
itself. ” |
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— Ron Meeks,
Colts defensive coordinator |
That means a lot of new schemes to be installed, plenty of work to
accomplish in camp and preseason, new philosophies to be inculcated in a
relatively short time span. And it could translate into a preponderance of
mental "busts" in exhibition outings, with some of them perhaps carrying
over into the regular season.
"Bringing in a new (defensive) coordinator is hard enough," said an NFC
owner whose team will have a new man calling the shots in 2002. "But then,
assuming that you change the scheme, the difficulty multiplies
exponentially. There's a normal breaking-in period and it never seems long
enough."
On the plus side, more than half of the new coordinators -- Mike Nolan (Baltimore),
Wade Phillips (Atlanta), Kurt Schottenheimer (Detroit), Willie Shaw
(Minnesota), Rick Venturi (New Orleans) and Marvin Lewis (Washington) -- are simply old faces in new
places or in a new position.
That leaves five first-year coordinators, a group comprised of Ron Meeks
(Indianapolis), John Pease (Jacksonville), Dale Lindsey (San Diego), Johnnie
Lynn (New York Giants) and Jack Del Rio (Carolina). All are veteran NFL
assistants and each man seems prepared for the task confronting him. Of the
group, only Lindsey inherits a unit that ranked among the top dozen defenses
statistically in 2001. Meeks and Del Rio get defenses that were in the
bottom three in the NFL last year.
But no matter their tenure, their past experience as a coordinator, or the
stature of unit they are taking over, all the new coordinators have their
work cut out for them because playing defense in the NFL is such a
sophisticated endeavor anymore. And taking plans from the grease board, and
applying them on the practice field, is never an easy chore.
"The best thing you can do, I think, is simplify as much as you can," said
Meeks, who has always coached the secondary in the past. "You do that and
you cut down on the mental errors and the physical stuff takes care of
itself. But, hey, I know people are going to be watching what we do really
closely this year."
In that regard, Meeks will have lots of company in 2002, a season when 10
teams hope that the revolving door at defensive coordinator doesn't leave
players' heads spinning.
Around the league
| |  | | | Johnson |
| |  | | | McCardell |
In this spot last week, we examined the calculated gamble Green Bay is
taking in revamping its wide receiver corps, a move in which the top three
players at the position have been replaced. This week, the focus shifts to
the Tampa Bay Bucs, who convened a weekend minicamp on Friday, and who
figure to know much more about their wideouts after the session. The
presence of new head coach Jon Gruden alone, of course, should upgrade the
Tampa Bay passing game. And the Bucs last week landed a prize free agent in
veteran wide receiver Keenan McCardell, one of the NFL's most productive
players over the past six years. But in his new gig, Gruden faces the same
deficiency that he had with the Oakland Raiders last year: a lack of outside
deep speed. Oakland averaged just 10.6 yards per completion, 13.0 yards on
completions to wide receivers, and 6.97 yards per pass attempt. None of
those numbers was scintillating. With the Bucs the receiver corps is
significantly deeper -- Jerry Rice and Tim Brown, for instance, combined for
88.7 percent of all the catches by Raiders wideouts in '01 -- but doesn't
have a proven deep threat. Keyshawn Johnson has never averaged more than
13.8 yards per catch and his career average is 13.0 yards. The consummate
possession receiver, McCardell owns a career average of 13.0 yards as well.
Newcomer Joe Jurevicius has a 14.1-yard career average but in 2001, the
first year he ever started more than three games, his average was 13.8
yards. Another free agent, Keith Poole, has deep speed but his career has
derailed the past two seasons by nagging hamstring injuries. Veteran
holdover Karl Williams is hardly a burner. The club's top choice in the
draft, third-rounder Marquise Walker of Michigan, was a playmaker for the
Wolverines but never noted as a sprinter. One of the game's most brilliant
offensive designers, Gruden has demonstrated in the past he can overcome a
lack of speed in his wideouts, and will likely do so again this year. But
there will be games, like the Raiders' loss at Miami last season, in which
opponents simply employ "press" coverages and take away the favored Gruden
crossing routes, and the offense will sputter. Not to be overlooked as well
is that, of the wideout assemblage, Johnson is the only one to ever score 10
touchdowns in a season and he did it just once. McCardell, we pointed out
last week, has never scored more than six touchdowns in a year. Jurevicius
has five touchdowns in four seasons, Williams six scores in six years.
People who know a lot more than we do about the potential franchise sale of
the Minnesota Vikings tell us that J.P. Morgan, the investment firm
attempting to locate a buyer, could have some interesting suitors in the
next two or three months. The firm has elicited better response than
originally believed possible and several who have inquired about the Vikings
are believed to be legitimately interested in the club. One NFL official
even suggested this week to ESPN.com that the lease at the Metrodome,
scheduled to run through 2011, might not be all that difficult to buy out.
Current owner Red McCombs is said to be pessimistic about ever getting
approval for the new stadium he claims to need and, given his track record,
his rumblings about disposing of the team are believed to be more than just
posturing. Two owners we spoke to this week believe there is real reason to
feel McCombs is getting out of the league.
Maybe the most intriguing move of the week was the Pittsburgh Steelers' visit with free agent quarterback Charlie Batch on Friday. Some team
officials from other franchises feel the Steelers have no chance of signing
the former Detroit Lions starter. And we say, uh, not so fast. Batch figures
to be a backup no matter where he signs in 2002. And no one is currently
offering him much more than the minimum salary. So if you're going to hold a
clipboard all season and collect paychecks, why not do so in your hometown,
and with a club that has a legitimate Super Bowl shot? That is precisely why
Batch, described by one Steelers official on Friday as "possible insurance,"
agreed to the meeting. He could sign a one-year deal, maybe collect a Super
Bowl ring, then go back into the free agent market again next spring, when
there will be some starting opportunities. Or there's also the possibility
that the Steelers decide Kordell Stewart isn't their guy for the long haul
after this season and re-sign Batch next spring to compete for the starting
job. Suffice it to say, there is plenty of smoke surrounding Batch's
surprise visit, and his interest in going to the Steelers on a short-term
deal is more than simply posturing. The one team from all his suitors which
desperately wants Batch is Jacksonville, where rookie David Garrard is the
current backup to starter Mark Brunell. But the Jaguars probably want to
sign him to more than a one-year contract and that could be a stumbling
block to an agreement.
|  | | Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Redskins, Jacquez Green has been the team's top receiver during workouts. |
His familiarity with the University of Florida offensive design, now the
scheme being implemented by coach Steve Spurrier in Washington, clearly has
benefited wide receiver Jacquez Green this spring. Signed as an unrestricted
free agent after spending four years with the Tampa Bay Bucs, the miniscule
Green has been the Redskins top pass-catcher throughout the spring sessions,
and is all but assured of a starting job. The other starter figures to be
Rod Gardner, who caught 46 passes and averaged 16.1 yards per grab as a
rookie in 2001, but he has yet to fully assimilate the new offense. Green
has been getting deep with regularity against the Washington corners, even
versus Pro Bowl defender Champ Bailey, and really has turned some heads.
With the Buccaneers, he was a part-time starter who never seemed comfortable
in the run-first offense, and who felt that his playmaking skills were often
squandered. The change of scenery, and suddenly being in an offense he knows
well, could translate into a breakout season for Green, who averaged just
39.3 catches per year in Tampa Bay. If he reaches certain performance
benchmarks, Green will be able to void the final two seasons of his
three-year contract and go back into the free agent pool again next spring.
Familiarity with the offense isn't the sole reason for Green's revival,
though, since another former Florida star and Bucs player hasn't enjoyed the
same degree of spring success. Reidel Anthony has struggled at times this
spring and needs to pick up the pace. Right now, after Gardner and Green,
the top backups at wide receiver appear to be veteran Kevin Lockett and
rookie Cliff Russell, a third-round choice with afterburner speed and a guy
whose supposedly suspect hands have yet to betray him.
Another tip of the hat to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who continue to secure
long-term contracts with veteran players, and to keep the window of Super
Bowl viability open for at least another 3-4 years. The spate of signings
and extension this week means the club now has 17 of its 24 starters
(counting kickers) under contract through at least 2004. And 13 of the
starters are locked up through at least the 2005 season. If this age of
revolving door rosters, that is quite an accomplishment, and much credit is
due vice president Art Rooney II and negotiator Omar Khan. The team seems to
have been wise enough with the new deals to avoid mortgaging the future but,
even with judicious deals, there could be some cap squeeze down the road.
There is no denying that the six-year, $26.25 million contract awarded Pro
Bowl performer Alan Faneca this week is a lot to pay for a guard, even one
of his pedigree. Faneca got a $6 million signing bonus and, while his salary
cap charge this year is a palatable $1.855 million (it was scheduled to be
$1.76 million under his old deal), it skyrockets to $3.8 million in 2003.
Suffice it to say that, at some point in the future, the Faneca deal will be
worked. The extension for defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen, on the other
hand, was extremely cap friendly for the team. By adding two more seasons to
his contract, and shuffling money from the two seasons he had left on his
prior contract, the Steelers actually lowered von Oelhoffen's cap number for
2002 and '03. His cap value for this season was reduced from $3.33 million
to $2.25 million. The cap savings in 2003, from $3.285 million to $2.9
million, isn't as dramatic.
Make no mistake about it: The starting middle linebacker long-term for the
Green Bay Packers is second-year veteran Torrance Marshall, who slipped to
the third round of the 2001 draft because of a positive drug test, but whose
physical skills have the coaches excited about his future. The coaches
simply felt that Marshall needed more repetitions, and perhaps a veteran
tutor, and thus the team's signing of Hardy Nickerson this week. Unless he
slips dramatically from his '01 performance, Nickerson will give the Packers
a proven commodity this year, and then be replaced by Marshall in 2003. The
Packers thought enough of Marshall that the team delayed the announcement of
the Nickerson agreement until they could explain their reasoning to the
youngster. If Marshall turns out to be as good as some think he can be,
Green Bay would eventually have a very young and productive trio, with Nate
Wayne and Na'il Diggs as the outside starters.
No one should be surprised if Indianapolis defensive end Chad Bratzke, who
has played the right side virtually his entire career, switches to the left
side this season. Bratzke was working at left end, and even at tackle in
some situations, during the Colts' most recent organized sessions. While he
might lack the bulk to anchor against the run in many NFL defensive schemes,
Bratzke is precisely the kind of active player new coach Tony Dungy wants in
the lineup, and could benefit from the new design. Moving to the left side
also would open up a spot for first-round draft choice Dwight Freeney at
right end. The combo of Bratzke and Freeney would potentially provide the
Colts with their best upfield pass rush tandem in many seasons.
Don't buy into the public endorsements of the San Francisco wide receiver
corps emanating from the Bay Area. The team would love to bring in another
veteran to push J.J. Stokes and Tai Streets, and perhaps compete for the
second starting job, opposite star Terrell Owens. The free agent in the
49ers' crosshairs is eight-year vet Willie Jackson, coming off a career year
in New Orleans, a 2001 season in which he snagged 81 passes. But to this
point, Jackson has rebuffed the San Francisco overtures, and continues to
seek a deal with a team in the East. Unless he soon comes to his senses,
Jackson could fall off the 49ers radar screen and the team will look
elsewhere for help.
There is a chance that Blake Brockermeyer could be the starting offensive
left tackle for the Denver Broncos in the season opener. But unless his
surgically repaired shoulder gets a lot better real soon, Brockermeyer may
not get the chance to legitimately compete with former Falcons starter
Ephraim Salaam for the No. 1 job. Brockermeyer hasn't been able to do a lot
yet, following the offseason surgery, and Salaam, who played principally on
the right side during four seasons in Atlanta, has been a nice surprise for
the Denver staff. The deal for Brockermeyer, on paper, is a seven-year
contract. In reality, it's just a one-year deal with a cap charge of only
$750,000, so the club has little financial exposure in gambling on a veteran
who ranks as one of the NFL's best pass protectors, when healthy.
The Chicago Bears certainly built some contractual precautions into the
three-year, $1.515 million contract to which they signed Damon Moore, the
former Philadelphia strong safety still recovering from offseason knee
surgery. The deal, which did not include a signing bonus, calls for base
salaries of $450,000 (for 2002), $530,000 (2003) and $535,000 (2004). But
the Bears wrote so-called "split" salaries into the first two years of the
contract, meaning Moore will be paid less if he isn't on the active roster.
The "split" salary for 2002 is $200,000 and it is $225,000 for 2003. Chicago
officials remain optimistic that Moore, an emerging player when he suffered
an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the NFC title game, will be
available in late August or early September. But they also figure any
playing time they get in 2002 from Moore, who became unrestricted when the
Eagles opted not to make him a restricted free agent qualifying offer, will
be a bonus. Chicago signed Moore for the long-term benefits and won't rush
him back just to get him on the field this year. The conventional wisdom is
perform list.
According to NFL Players Association documents, the three-year contract
cornerback Daylon McCutcheon signed this week to remain with the Cleveland
Browns is worth $8 million. It includes a $2.1 million signing bonus and
base salaries of $450,000 (2002), $1.75 million (2003) and $1.5 million
(2004). There is a $1.3 million roster bonus due in the spring of 2004 and
"other" bonuses of $500,000 in 2003 and $400,000 in 2004. The three-year
veteran is coming off the best season of his career, having posted 65
tackles, four interceptions and two sacks in 2001. But that doesn't
necessarily mean that he is guaranteed a starting job again in 2002. Yeah,
the Browns paid McCutcheon a premium for essentially forfeiting his right to
become an unrestricted free agent next spring, but he will still face
competition from Anthony Henry and Lewis Sanders for his starting spot.
Henry tied for the league lead in interceptions in 2001, with 10, as a
rookie. If Sanders can ever stay healthy, he certainly has starter-level
skills. The key in the McCutcheon deal is the $1.3 million roster bonus due
in 2004. If he's no longer a starter then, he will have to restructure his
contract, or be released. That said, the son of former Rams running back
Lawrence McCutcheon is a solid player whose only shortcoming is a lack of
size.
The ban on the substance ephedra, with leaguewide testing scheduled to
begin July 1, was referred to by Denver tight end Shannon Sharpe this week
as a "knee-jerk" reaction. Sharpe could have used the second half of his
equation to describe his personal stance on the matter. "Korey Stringer, a
couple of college kids, a couple of high school kids (die) and, boom, we
have to do something," Sharpe told The Denver Post. "And they did it. Don't
blame the NFL. Blame the Players Association. Look at baseball. They don't
want to test for steroids. Their players association says that's a violation
of their rights. Now how can one association let you test for ephedra but
the other association won't let you test for steroids?" Sharpe, of course,
was one of the Denver players who used to sport an EAS baseball cap on the
sideline all the time. Under a new policy that prohibits players from
endorsing companies that manufacturer substances banned by the league, he
won't be able to be a human billboard for the Golden, Colo.-based company
anymore.
Punts: Dallas coaches continue to be thrilled with the play of second-round
pick Andre Gurode and the former Colorado star looks like a lock to win the
starting center spot. ... The Buffalo Bills might take a look at free
agent defensive end Marco Coleman, who very quietly visited with
Jacksonville officials for two days earlier this week. The Bills want to
sign a veteran end and the pickings are slim, with the team looking at
veteran Chidi Ahonatu as well. ... Carolina coaches like the work so far
of rookie quarterback Randy Fasani, a fifth-round pick from Stanford, who is
blessed with good-enough arm strength and plenty of smarts. ... On hunch,
bet that free agent wide receiver Antonio Freeman ends up signing in
Seattle, where he would be reunited with former Packers head coach Mike
Holmgren. ... After missing some early "quarterback school" sessions,
Cleveland first-round tailback William Green has been a regular at workouts
and he is spending extra time now with coaches to make up for the time he
lost earlier this spring. ... The Saints, still looking for a veteran
backup to tailback Deuce McAllister, are talking to Terry Allen, who rushed
for 658 yards with Baltimore in 2001.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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