NFL Preseason Thread

[SlowwHand]

As our hero vanishes into the sunset, we bid a fond adieu.

[Lord Avalon]

Quinn signs

Contract could be worth up to $30 million with incentives

Brady Quinn has agreed to a five-year contact with the Cleveland Browns worth $20.2 million, with $7.75 million guaranteed, ending his holdout.

The deal could grow to $30 million over five years with incentives.

Quinn, who was on his way to Cleveland to join his teammates on Tuesday, had been working out at an athletic training facility in Arizona while his contract was being negotiated.

Having missed the first 10 days of training camp, Quinn, 22, faces a considerable catch-up period at a position where the learning curve is already difficult. Although he performed in a sophisticated offense at Notre Dame, and under the tutelage of coach Charlie Weis, who is famous for developing quarterbacks, Quinn struggled in the spring workouts and minicamps.

Quinn likely has lost his chance to open the season as the Browns' starter but, given the continuing uncertainty at the position, could still challenge for playing time as the year progresses, particularly if the Cleveland offense sputters. Given the steep price the Browns paid to acquire Quinn, surrendering their first-round choice in the 2008 draft, he must be viewed as the franchise's long-term quarterback hope.

The major sticking point in negotiations between the Browns and agent Tom Condon were escalator clauses based on playing time for Quinn. Condon and the Browns were also hung up over increases in the fourth and fifth years of a potential deal.

Coach Romeo Crennel has coldly referred to Quinn as "the quarterback" and not by name during the holdout.

"He's pretty far behind," Crennel said last week. "We have a lot of offense, and we're putting it in every day. It takes a while to get this down and get caught up on it."

Quinn also missed the team's four-day rookie orientation before camp.

Third-year veterans Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson continue to vie for the No. 1 job this season. Frye was nominally listed as the starter when Crennel released his first depth chart on Monday, but the Browns' head coach cautioned against reading too much into that.

The Browns have only two practices before their first preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday in Cleveland.

Condon proposed to allow Quinn to get a $5 million increase in the final two years of a potential five-year deal if he takes 55 percent of the snaps in any two of the first three years or 70 percent in any one of the first three. The Browns wanted to make the triggers tougher to reach.

Quinn was seeking $8 million in guaranteed money, roughly the same amount that the No. 20 pick, cornerback Aaron Ross, got from the New York Giants.

Quinn's signing leaves two first-round picks -- Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the top overall selection, and cornerback Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets, the No. 14 choice -- without contracts.

The 22nd overall choice in the draft, Quinn departed Notre Dame with 36 school passing and total offense records. He started 46 games and his 29 victories tied a Fighting Irish record. Quinn completed 929 of 1,602 passes for 11,762 yards, with 95 touchdown passes and 39 interceptions.

Although he possesses excellent size (6-foot-3, 232 pounds) and pocket stature, Quinn is a better athlete than most people think, and has good running ability. He was timed at the combine workouts at 4.73 seconds in the 40.

Uncertainty at quarterback is nothing new for the Browns, who have employed five different opening-day starters in the last five years. And through three dozen practices in the spring and now in the first 10 days of training camp, neither Frye nor Anderson has separated himself enough yet to have been vested with the No. 1 job.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp07/news/story?id=2964653

[-Jrabbit]

'bout freaking time.

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[SlowwHand]

I had rather it be this way. Let him catch up and watch for even up to the halfway mark. Let Thomas and company get in sync. Watch. See the speed. Learn.

[SlowwHand]

[Browns linebacker Willie McGinest scheduled for back surgery, will miss 6 weeks

By TOM WITHERS, AP sports Writer
August 9, 2007


BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- Browns linebacker Willie McGinest was scheduled to have back surgery Thursday and will miss at least six weeks, another blow to a Cleveland team decimated by major injuries the past few seasons.

McGinest, who has made 159 starts during a 13-year NFL career, was to have the operation in Los Angeles.

After a week of rest following the procedure on a bulging disk, he'll begin rehab. The Browns will re-evaluate McGinest in six weeks, coach Romeo Crennel said.

[snoopy369]

/me thinks it's a ploy to distract people from Brady Quinn so he gets some quiet time to practice...

[Lord Avalon]

Lions' backups rally to beat Bengals, 27-26.


One down, nine to go!

[snoopy369]

I predict the Lions won't win 10 games even counting preseason games...

[Lord Avalon]

Really going out on a limb there.

[Lord Avalon]

Titans intend to block Pacman's wrestling appearance

Suspended NFL cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones intends to try his hand at wrestling, but the Tennessee Titans have other ideas.

The Titans on Friday obtained a restraining order against Jones to prevent him from participating in a Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-view event this weekend.

Jones appeared on Spike TV on Thursday night in a taped appearance to promote his Sunday night debut with the TNA event titled "Hard Justice." The event will take place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.; it is uncelar whether Jones will wrestle during the telecast.

"In June we stated that we didn't expect to comment on Adam Jones until his suspension was complete. Regrettably, we feel it necessary to explain our action today," the Titans said in a statement.

"Today we filed a motion in Williamson County asking for a court order preventing Jones from participating in any wrestling activity," the statement read. "All NFL players have language in their contracts that prohibit them from engaging in activities 'which may involve a significant risk of personal injury.' We certainly believe wrestling to be hazardous and it is obvious from the player's conduct that he is ignoring this aspect of his agreements with the club. As an organization, we feel it is our obligation to protect our rights in this instance."

A court official told The Tennessean on Friday that Judge Jeffrey Bivins set the case to be heard, but a date is not known.

Jones' agent, Worrick Robinson, said his client's focus is still on football, and that he's not going to do anything to jeopardize his career.

"Football is his priority," Robinson told The Associated Press. "He wants to get back on the field. Whatever he does with TNA is not going to affect his health."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2969037

[snoopy369]

Maybe he'll go motorcycle riding next?

[Zopperoni]

From NFL.com: http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/TEN/10290309

The Tennessee Titans got a court order Friday that prohibits suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones from participating in wrestling.

Jones was scheduled to make his debut with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on Sunday in a pay-per-view event titled "Hard Justice."

[...]

Chancery Court Judge Robert E. Lee Davies agreed, saying Jones should be prohibited from "participating in any activities that 'may involve the risk of serious personal injury."'

"Mr. Jones is hereby restrained from providing any 'wrestling' or 'performing services' to TNA ... including but not limited to the TNA "Hard Justice" pay-per-view event ... for as long as this restraining order is in effect," Davies ruled.

Hard Justice indeed

[SlowwHand]

Jets RB Thomas Jones injures right leg during practice

August 12, 2007


HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- New York Jets running back Thomas Jones limped off the practice field after injuring his lower right leg Sunday.

There was no immediate word on the nature or severity of the injury, but it appeared to be either to his ankle or calf. Jones wasn't made available to the media, and coach Eric Mangini had already addressed the media before practice.

Jones was untouched during running back drills when he went to plant his right foot and fell. He immediately took off his helmet and untied his shoe before he was examined by a trainer, who wrapped his lower right leg.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Get better, damn you!!

[SlowwHand]

As if they didn't have enough troubles, the Falcons revealed tthat running back Warrick Dunn will miss three to four weeks after having back surgery. ...

I'm sure he'll recover just fine. Probably will be a force to contend with this year.