1. New York Giants wide receiver Devin Thomas was making catches in the 4th quarter of last night's game against the Chicago Bears. The race is really on between him and Malcolm Kelly to see who will last the longest in The League. It is amusing to me that both of these players have enough talent to cause teams to think long and hard before cutting them loose, yet neither has contributed in a meaningful way anywhere. And they were both drafted in the same year...in the same round...by the same guy. It is not easy to hit so successfully on such motherlodes of unrealized potential.
2. Do I think Mike Shanahan could find a job for Tim Tebow? Yes. Since the new league rules don't require teams to designate their quarterback rotation, if you are going to have three quarterbacks, why not have two different styles of quarterback on the bench? If you lose two quarterbacks in one game, you are pretty much f'ed anyway. You might as well have a weapon at your disposal. Shanahan and Urban Meyer are boys. Shanny knows about Tim Tebow. I bet he could cook up a package for Tebow to be used in certain situations. I would be shocked if the Broncos dump him but not at all shocked if Shanahan tried to pick him up for nothing. That said, I don't see the value in us carrying three quarterbacks if Clemens is the third. I actually like Clemens and think he is a decent backup, but that is a valuable spot on our roster. That could be Brandon Banks' spot. That could be Donte Stallworth's spot. If we aren't going to carry some kind of athletic, run-first quarterback for special packages, I say we just ride with Rexy and Beck.
3. The violence after the San Francisco 49ers/Oakland Raiders game got me thinking: Could that happen in the parking lot at FedEx? I honestly don't think so, though I suppose there is no such thing as being 100% on that. I very much enjoy getting into it with the opposing team's fans but I am the first one to say "good game" at the end. Our tailgates at FedEx are generally friendly (the Dead Tree boys can be a little rough, but they are part of the parking lot family.) While I know they are reacting to the situation out west, I hate the proposed rule about shutting down tailgates when the game starts. So many parking lots around the league are the sites of all-day parties. And when the team is out of the playoffs, extending the tailgate a little is a time-honored tradition. Here's hoping that rule does not head east.
4. Fantasy football drafts are in full swing. The highest drafted Redskin in a draft I was just in: Santana Moss. No surprise there. What did surprise me was that somebody in the league drafted the Washington defense as a starting unit. I happen to know that this person is not a Redskins fan. I can't get this out of my head. I might not be there yet myself, but the idea of this unit being among the top 12 in the league is growing on me. Then again, I am a big, dumb idiot.
5. Mike Shanahan carefully balances between being an all-knowing, all-seeing, lovable guru and a manipulative smartypants. The truth is, if he wins, I don't really care. But the hubris this organization has demonstrated over the years--FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER--is hard to move past on some days. I would like to see Shanny lean more towards lovable myself, but more than anything, I would just like our pride and arrogance to have legitimate roots.
6. Does the fact that every team has roughly 90 players on it make it easier or harder for organizations to work trades right now? I would think that with so many players set to hit the market in the next couple weeks, it would behoove teams to try and work out deals to bring in that 52nd or 53rd guy before they have to compete with the rest of the league to sign them. That said, it is also likely that with that many players on the roster right now, coaches are content to pick their team from the players they see in front of them. If I am Bruce Allen, I am trying my hardest to move a role player or two right now for absolutely anything I can get in return. Who would you trade if you were Bruce?
7. Graham Gano is following in the long line of kickers/punters in this town who destroyed all preseason competition prior to ending a head coach's career. Let's hope he breaks from tradition and carries this success into the regular season.
8. Which would you buy first: a #26 Portis jersey or a #26 Helu jersey?
9. I am no X's and O's genius when it comes to defenses, but even I am amazed at what I am seeing out of Perry Riley. He looks so fast and strong and--at least to my untrained eye--he really seems to have stepped up his mental game. His development has been one of the most pleasing parts of the preseason for me.
10. I said it already in a Roundtable, but Leonard Hankerson needs to make the most of the next two weeks. It appears he will soon be buried on the depth chart and as such, will see limited reps in practice come September. He needs to take another step or two before that happens. Come on Hank the Tank!