The 10 most compelling training camp storylines
07/27/2007
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The NFL offseason is steamrolling along and as the regular season approaches, storylines are becoming bigger and juicer each day.
Even though some players can make headline news anywhere they go, everything gets turned up a notch with training camps opening across the country this week.
Below is a list of the 10 most compelling storylines heading into training camp and a reason to follow each one. The season might not start for another month and a half, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing brewing deep inside NFL camps.
1. Michael Vick’s indictment
Vick is buried so deep in trouble that it’s going to take nine rescue teams, 14 search parties and Angus MacGyver to uncover him. There are many questions surrounding Vick’s alleged involvement in dog fighting, but let’s concentrate on two of the biggest ones as we head into training camp. One, will he be suspended or asked to take a leave of absence by either the league or the Falcons? And two, how will his court proceedings affect Atlanta’s 2007 season? In reference to the first question, it’s highly likely that if the league doesn’t suspend Vick or ask him to take a paid leave of absence for the entire season, the Falcons will. Vick playing football will have too much of a negative affect on the league and his team, which leads us to the second question. The Falcons are screwed, plain and simple. If they’re proactive and either suspend or release him, people are going to be upset that they didn’t wait until the legal process played out. If they do nothing, there are going to be even more people pissed that they didn’t react to such horrifying accusations. Throw in all the animal rights protests as well as the media circus, and I don’t envy good guys like Warrick Dunn, Keith Brooking, Alge Crumpler and Lawyer Milloy, who now will have to answer for Vick’s selfish acts. The 2007 NFL season is likely going to be one the current Atlanta players never forget.
2. Larry Johnson’s potential holdout
To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld: What’s the deal with Larry Johnson? He’s set to become a free agent after this year and is prepared to holdout if the Chiefs don’t pony up at least $25 million in guaranteed bonuses. Kansas City isn’t known for handing out big money to retain impact players, so a trade is a legitimate possibility if the two sides can’t come to an agreement. Considering Johnson was the entire Chiefs offense last year, it’d be wise for the team to open their checkbook for once and pay the man. That said, a trade could net multiple draft picks, so it’s not necessarily a slam dunk decision for KC. With Johnson’s potential holdout, a quarterback battle between Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle, and a suspect offensive line, the Chiefs have a ton of question marks heading into training camp.
3. Goodell’s decision regarding Pacman
Adam “Pacman” Jones breeds headline news, but unfortunately for the Titans it’s often for all the wrong reasons. The league and commissioner Roger Goodell are currently deciding whether or not Pacman should be allowed to participate in the Titans’ offseason workouts, even though he was suspended for the entire 2007 campaign. Many believe it’s a ludicrous idea seeing as how a suspension usually bars an employee from any and all contact with his employer, but I for one think a little hard work is exactly what Pacman needs. I understand that he would probably be a huge distraction to the other players, but if Tennessee still sees Jones in their future, then making him work out, train and study film unpaid may wake him up a bit. Either way, a decision by Goodell is expected soon and you can bet head coach Jeff Fisher is waiting on pins and needles.
4. Lance Briggs’ ongoing refusal to play with the Bears
Since the firestorm between the Bears and Briggs happened at the conclusion of the Super Bowl, many people have forgotten the standout defender is still pissed at the Chicago organization. The most recent developments in this situation happened July 16 when Briggs and the Bears failed to sign a long-term extension by the 4pm deadline. Now the linebacker can only play under the one-year franchise tender, which is worth $7.206 million if Briggs decides to report to training camp. As of right now, it’s doubtful Chicago winds up trading him and it’s even more unlikely Briggs reports to camp. The real test is going to come when preseason games kick off and the aroma of the regular season gets stronger and stronger. Most players have no problem skipping the grueling training camp sessions, but when the regular season approaches, the competitive fire begins to burn a little brighter. Will Briggs resist the urge to give into an organization he despises just so he can collect the money and play in the regular season?
Update: Nevermind, Briggs caved and signed his one-year franchise tender.
5. Asante Samuel and the Patriots’ ongoing dance
Samuel’s situation is almost identical to that of Lance Briggs, but the big difference is the cornerback actually likes his organization. It appears that Samuel wants to be a Patriot and the team wants him too, but money is a major sticking point. The two sides missed the July 16 deadline to sign a long-term extension and now the only deal Samuel can play under is the one-year franchise tender, which amounts to $7.79 million. As with Briggs, Samuel is most likely to skip all of the Patriots’ training camp sessions and possibly the preseason, but return at the start of the regular season in order to collect the $7.79 million and play. Even though the Pats don’t want one of their starters missing that much time, it still plays into their favor since they’d get one more season to decide if Samuel is worth the $30 million in guaranteed money he’s seeking.
6. Marc Bulger’s contract situation
There’s no reason to think the Rams won’t re-sign Bulger sometime before the start of the regular season, but the quarterback has stated that a holdout is a possibility if talks reach a stalemate. Bulger’s only 30 and has been a very productive in St. Louis, so he should command close to $25 million in guaranteed money. Is he worth being paid as one of the highest at his position? All signs currently point to the Rams believing he is, but stranger things have happened.
7. Daunte Culpepper’s final destination
Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio is keeping cool about his quarterback situation, but deep down he has to be a little uneasy about the position heading into training camp. Byron Leftwich is the assumed starter as of right now, but he’s in a contract year and the Jags are flirting with signing the recently released Culpepper as insurance. If Jacksonville signs Culpepper, backup David Garrard could be cut or traded since the team wouldn’t need to retain his services and he would have more value to another team than third-stringer Quinn Gray. If Culpepper doesn’t wind up in Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and maybe even a return to Minnesota are possibilities. Jon Gruden loves veterans and the Bucs already had Culpepper in for a workout, but how many quarterbacks does Tampa need? One team rumored to be interested in Culpepper is the Falcons due to Michael Vick’s situation, but it’s highly doubtful they make a push for him.
8. Simply put: T.O.
ESPN and the NFL Network must be really upset that Terrell Owens has remained awfully quiet this entire offseason and there’s no more Bill Parcels in Dallas. Now neither network will broadcast every single move the Cowboys make at training camp this year and thus force them to (gasp!) concentrate on the other 31 teams in the league. However, that ass clown T.O. is up to something, I can feel it. Like a child who has wandered off to a secluded part of the house and remains quietly wrapped up in mischief, Owens is planning something and I for one am not going to be surprised when he unveils his master plan. Why should we believe T.O. will remain quiet this offseason?
9. Brady Quinn and the Browns’ starting quarterback situation
First and foremost, there’s a very real possibility that rookie Brady Quinn has a lengthy holdout and therefore that winds up being the biggest training camp storyline in Cleveland. General manager Phil Savage has said Quinn has a shot to start this year if he gets into camp on time, but that just might be an incentive for his young quarterback to avoid a holdout. It will be interesting to see if Romeo Crennel pushes for Quinn to start if he looks good in practice and preseason, because most head coaches with their jobs on the line tend to hitch their future to young quarterbacks (see Denny Green last year as an example). The Browns have gone a long way toward revamping their offensive line, so whether it be Quinn, Derek Anderson or Charlie Frye, at least none of the signal callers should be petrified to squat under center next season.
10. Jake Plummer’s retirement plans
I know – file this one under, “Who gives a flying crap.” Well, you won’t be saying that if your team’s starter goes down to a preseason injury and it’s between either Plummer or Aaron Brooks to take over. Plummer has remained consistent about wanting to retire, but is that really how he feels or is it that he just doesn’t want to play in Tampa? It appears he wants to be a starter somewhere, so if he waits long enough, maybe the Bucs, Broncos and another team can figure out a way to make a trade happen to grant his wishes. Something just tells me we haven’t heard the last of Jake the Snake.
Questions or comments? Send them to astalter@bullz-eye.com.