A few notes from NFL Preseason action so far, spotlighting some players you may have heard of.
Peter King of SI.com on former Denver Broncos safety John Lynch
I think John Lynch is a natural for the Patriots. I also think there's a good back-story to this one-year, $1.5 million deal. I like how Lynch, unlike a lot of veterans, eschewed more money and more playing opportunity to go to New England. (The Jets cleared mucho cap room to make room for Lynch, then got jilted at the final hour by a guy who views his time in the game as short and wanted to go where he had the best chance to win.)
With the Patriots, I expect the 37-year-old Lynch to fill the kind of role Tank Williams was going to fill for New England before he went down for the year in training camp with a right knee injury. Lynch will be a kind of hybrid safety-linebacker who can play tight ends and slower receivers physically and cover well. How many plays a game? Fifteen, 20. The Patriots would probably sign for that right now, Lynch playing quality football for 15 snaps a game and staying healthy for 16 weeks. Or 19.
The back-story, to me, is what an honorable and well-respected player Lynch is ... and how interesting it is that of the three teams that pursued him most seriously when he left Denver, the Patriots had the worst offer in terms of money and playing opportunity. Lynch saw two things: the best chance to win a Super Bowl (his primary motivation in signing in New England, by far) and the chance to play for Bill Belichick, the kind of defensive innovator Lynch wanted to play for before he retired.
Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin on former Denver Broncos wide receiver Javon
Walker after a 17-16 loss to the Tennesee Titans on Saturday
"There's a couple of balls there that we would have liked him to come up with," Kiffin said during the opening statement of his teleconference Saturday.
"That's discouraging because he was paid an awful lot of money, paid like one of the top five receivers in the NFL. We need him to make those plays."
Rick Morrissey of The Chicago Tribune on former CSU star Caleb Hanie
I'm thinking Caleb Hanie should get a shot. At quarterback. For the Bears.
I know this is crazy talk. I know he's a rookie. I know he has played against third-string defenses in his two NFL exhibition games. I know he doesn't know much of the playbook.
I know every reason why this is insanity.
But ...
I also know he seems to have more athletic ability and field presence than Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton.
I know the prospect of another NFL season with either Grossman or Orton playing quarterback for the Bears is enough to make a man take up journaling, antiquing or competitive canning on Sundays.
I know it would look like surrender for the Bears' coaching and personnel staff to use an unproven rookie in that spot.
On the other hand, why not?
What's wrong with surrendering to the idea that what you have at quarterback doesn't work and hasn't worked for a long time? What's wrong with saying that you might have stumbled upon a real, live quarterback?
What's wrong with at least trying the kid against San Francisco's second unit Thursday at Soldier Field? If for no other reason than to rub your eyes and convince yourself he's a mirage?
Give him playing time with some teammates who actually will see action this season. Give him more responsibility. See if those flashes in the first two exhibition games have the chance of translating into long-term heat and light.
Yes, you would risk having two insulted quarterbacks on your hands, but of late no one has mistaken Grossman and Orton for the Manning brothers. So insult at will, people.
I can make a case for Hanie, perhaps not a compelling case, but a case nonetheless. Much of it would center on the notion that he couldn't be much more inconsistent than what Chicago has had to put up with the last few years.
If the Bears are basing this season on what they hope will be a healthy, revitalized defense, why not give the kid from Colorado State an opportunity and see if he can make the offense respectable?
Hope to see you tomorrow.
-"z"
