The Chicago Bears, seeking to rebound after a very disappointing 2007 season, announced a few moves Wednesday to tweak their roster in anticipation of training camp in a couple of months.

Gone are defensive tackle Babatunde Oshinowo and guard Mike Jones, both released Wednesday, with more promising rookies ready to take their jobs. Third-rounder Marcus Harrison left Oshinowo with almost no chance to make the squad and seventh-round pick Chester Adams was impressive in last weekend’s rookie camp, so Jones became expendable.

Meanwhile, with running back Cedric Benson in trouble after his weekend boating adventure, there may be an opening for Matthew Lawrence to land a spot on the practice squad. Lawrence ran for 1,680 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Minutemen last season.

Benson, by the way, is due in court on May 19 to face his boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest charges. Ahoy, matey!

So will the Bears be able to get back to .500 this season?

Well, they better improve an offense that was among the NFL’s worst last season, thanks to an especially weak rush attack. Even when he was healthy, Benson proved he was not a number one runner last year. And his legal trouble could definitely put a crimp in his situation, further weakening the run game for the Bears.

Adrian Peterson – no, not Purple Jesus, but the other one – could take the lead if Benson can’t start the season, and while he doesn’t excite me either, he might get his chance to show how bad he really is.

Failing that, look for rookie Matt Forte to be handed the starting gig – not a real good idea considering his lack of experience, but this is what will likely happen.

Chicago expects to be competitive this season, but I have a feeling that even with the Packers probably coming back to earth, the Bears have their work cut out for themselves.

May 8th, 2008
Categories: FOOTBALL, RotoRob, Transactional analysis . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 2 Comments

The NFL’s best back-up RB, Michael Turner, will try to improve Atlanta’s awful running game. (Mike Nowak, San Diego Chargers)

Since we last checked in on the Atlanta Falcons in late-February, much has changed.

At the time, we expected Jerious Norwood to finally get his shot at being an every down runner. Well, now it appears that may not happen. Oh, don’t worry, 2007 leading rusher Warrick Dunn’s days in Atlanta are over after his release. But now the Falcons have added another runner – perhaps the best back-up man in the game and one who fantasy owners have long desired to see get his shot.

Last month’s signing of Charger backup Michael Turner to a six-year. $34.5 million deal gives the Falcons two runners who have each excelled in limited opportunities.

So now what?

We have been waiting for Turner to get his chance to be the man, but for four years he’s been stuck behind the best in the biz in LaDainian Tomlinson.

But with Mike Smith now manning the reins in Atlanta, he may opt to install a similar situation that existed with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor in Jacksonville, where Smith was defensive coordinator before landing the head coaching job for the Falcons.

If Smith goes that route, it could completely cannibalize the fantasy value of both Turner and Norwood.

This is situation that will need to be closely watched during training camp. Will they get 12 to 15 carries per game each, or will one of them have 20 or more to the other’s five-to-seven carries?

Atlanta’s rush offense was abysmal last year, ranking 26th in yards per game. Of course, it’s not as if the Falcons relied on this aspect of the game, with just three teams rushing less often.

Expect the team to rush way more often this year, with the QB situation still muddied.

It’s obvious Michael Vick (despite reports he’s staying in shape in the Big House) is never coming back to the Falcons. Chris Redman is no one’s idea of a real answer. It’s clear the team is leaning towards Boston College QB Matt Ryan in the upcoming draft, and while that would provide a long-term solution, the kid won’t likely be ready to have an instant impact.

That leaves Turner and Norwood to carry the offense.

My guess is that Turner, given that he was handed $15 million in guaranteed coin, will be afforded every chance to establish himself as the No. 1 man. But Norwood’s game-breaking speed remains an intriguing, if underutilized asset.

Watch this position battle closely this summer, as it’s going to be among the most fascinating in the league.

Meanwhile, the Chargers will be hard-pressed to replace a backup of Turner’s ilk. Darren Sproles will be ask to fill that role, which will be fine as long as LT doesn’t miss extended time.

April 7th, 2008
Categories: FOOTBALL, RotoRob, Transactional analysis . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment

Ray Bourque (er…he’s the one in the middle), is returning to the scene of his Stanley Cup glory, but don’t worry, he’s not bringing his two friends with him.

The Colorado Avalanche went back to the future to lock-in the final pieces of what they hope will be another Stanley Cup run, re-signing defenseman Ray Bourque and goalie Patrick Roy.

Bourque won the Cup with Colorado in 2001 and then retired, doing charity work in the Boston area. He was also a consultant to the Bruins. Roy retired in 2003 and became vice president of operations for the Quebec Remparts, part of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Most recently, he was suspended five games for sending his son into a playoff brawl.

“[The suspension] was definitely a factor in my decision to come back. It made me realize how much I missed the game. And I’ll deal with the fallout from my decisions when the NHL season ends,” Roy said at a press conference announcing the surprise signings.

Roy will displace goalie Jose Theodore, who, while having a strong season, is still not believed to be back to his Vezina form.

“I never really stopped preparing to come back, even when I wasn’t sure I would ever come back,” Roy said.

Theodore was not available for comment.

For Bourque, the decision to return to Colorado was more sudden: “I’ve been watching [Detroit defenseman Chris] Chelios, and I feel like if he can do it, I can do it.”

Bourque explored a comeback with Boston, but the Bruins ultimately said it would be more of a distraction.

“They told me to feel free to go back to Colorado, though,” Bourque laughed.

Bourque and Roy are eligible to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs due to a sly sleight of paperwork by Avs’ GM Francois Giguere. Giguere quietly signed both players as coaches before the trade deadline and an odd quirk of the CBA allows coaches to be eligible for the playoff rosters, as long as they did not play during the regular season.

“Trust me. No one knew about this,” Giguere said. “It was me, Paddy, and Ray. And believe me, I wanted to tell everyone.”

March 31st, 2008
Categories: HOCKEY, Steven Ovadia, Transactional analysis . Author: Steven Ovadia . Comments: 1 Comment

Although he’s not much of a fantasy option, except in the deepest of fantasy leagues, the Indianapolis Colts will miss tight end Ben Utecht, who is now officially a Cincinnati Bengal after the Colts failed to match his offer sheet.

Indy employs plenty of two tight-end sets, but is now left without a reliable backup behind Dallas Clark after Utecht grabbed the three-year, $9 million Cincy deal and walked.

The 26-year-old had a career-high 20 first downs last season, and could challenge incumbents Reggie Kelly, Daniel Coats and Nate Laurie as the No. 1 man for the Bengals. Of course, Cincinnati doesn’t employ the tight end into its offense in the same manner that Indy did, so who wins the job probably means jack squat from a fantasy perspective.

Back with the Colts, meanwhile, the de facto backup is now Gijon Robinson, who spent all of 2007 on the practice squad.

It will be interesting to see if Utecht’s departure forces the Colts hands and forces them to re-sign TE Bryan Fletcher, another unrestricted free agent.

Look for Indy to either dip into the free agent pool for a veteran tight end, or try to address this weakness through the draft.

March 23rd, 2008
Categories: FOOTBALL, RotoRob, Transactional analysis . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments

Baltimore freed up some cap space by restructuring Jonathan Ogden’s contract.

New Baltimore Ravens’ head coach John Harbaugh faces a major uphill battle as he tried to rally this team after a devastating 5-11 season in which it sunk to the bottom of the AFC North.

One of the first orders of business, and this is more of management issue of course, is the team must try to trim some cap space.

Restructuring Jonathan Ogden’s deal was a good first step and that should free up enough cap space to keep the franchise tag on Terrell Suggs.

Back-up running back Mike Anderson, a total bust since arriving in Baltimore, has been released, opening up at least $1.3 million in cap space, another move that should help the Ravens re-sign their restricted free agents. However, the team still needs to clear around $10 million in cap space.

One of those restricted free agents is starting left guard Jason Brown, but the club is expected to retain him after they gave him a second-round tender offer Wednesday.

So now if Brown signs an offer sheet from someone else, Baltimore has the right to match it and retain him or let him walk and get that team’s second round pick.

Brown earned $435,000 this past season, but will get $1.47 million under the second-round tender.

Obviously, the Ravens would be wise to keep the up and coming guard. Just 24, he made SI’s All-Pro team last year and he’s been incredibly resilient since taking over as a starter in 2006, starting 28 straight games.

GM Ozzie Newsome said Baltimore would like to talk to Brown about an extension before he can become an unrestricted free agent after 2008. Brown is talking the talk, at any rate, saying how much he loves the city and the organization.

Whatever. Nobody loves Baltimore. It may be a great organization (although somewhat beleaguered now after such a crappy year), but Charm City is anything but.

February 27th, 2008
Categories: FOOTBALL, RotoRob, Transactional analysis . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 2 Comments