Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon don't have to worry about losingtheir jobs anymore, even if the Pittsburgh Steelers backupquarterbacks would rather have taken a different path to a steadypaycheck.Byron Leftwich's gruesome broken left arm suffered in the thirdquarter of a 34-16 win over Atlanta Frank Gore Jersey Red on Saturday potentially endedthe veteran's season and gave both Batch and Dixon a Frank Gore Authentic Jersey reprieve froman unforgiving numbers game.The Steelers Official Anthony Davis Jersey started training camp with four quarterbacks on theroster, with either Batch or Dixon certain to be jettisoned beforethe season opener against Baltimore on Sept. 11.The duo has spent the last month auditioning for the No. 3 spotbehind Leftwich and Ben Roethlisberger. Now they head into thepreseason finale on Thursday at Carolina looking to see who will beRoethlisberger's understudy.The anxiety of being cut is 49ers Michael Crabtree Jersey gone, sure, but not thecompetition.''You still have to go out and prove to Coach (Mike) Tomlin thatyou're capable of being the next guy to step in and it neverends,'' Batch said. ''It's not going to end at the end of this week... or through the course of the season.''Tomlin is in no hurry to choose and didn't rule out Leftwich'seventual return. The former first-round pick underwent surgery onMonday morning, less than 48 hours after his left (non-throwing)arm was pinned awkwardly to the turf while sliding for extrayardage against the Falcons.Batch says it was difficult to watch Replica Frank Gore Jersey Red his good friend writhing inpain as he was taken off the field. Yet Batch NFL Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey also knows the jobgoes on, leaving he and Dixon in a familiar position.A year ago, the two spent camp jockeying for position behindLeftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey Shop Online dubbed the starter after Roethlisberger was suspendedfour games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.Only Leftwich never made it to the regular season after injuringhis knee. Dixon started the opener against Atlanta and played wellbefore going down a week later with a knee injury of his own thateventually sent him to injured reserve.In stepped Batch, who turned back the clock by helping keep theteam afloat until Roethlisberger returned.A year later, the two players on opposite ends of their careersare still going at it.The 36-year-old Batch is simply hoping to hang on while the25-year-old Dixon is anxious to prove he's ready to be a startereven if he's well aware it will have to happen in someplace otherthan Pittsburgh.The former Oregon star re-signed with the Steelers after noother team expressed sincere interest in him. Knowing this waslikely his last camp in Pittsburgh, Dixon has been heavilyshowcased during the preseason, playing extensively in all threegames. The results have been mixed. Dixon is 10 of 24 for 132 yardswith an interception while playing with the third and fourthstringers who will likely be long gone in a week.''My main goal has been my leadership skills, commanding thehuddle, making sure everybody is on the right page,'' Dixon said.''Usually when I go in the game, I'm with people that don't knowwhat they're doing half the time.''Dixon used to consider himself among that group. Notanymore.''I've been in the system long enough to where I have confidenceas to what I'm doing,'' Dixon Authentic Frank Gore Jersey said. ''If I do mess up, I'm going togo 100 percent at it.''Batch lacks Dixon's mobility and youthful exuberance, but hasproven adept at walking into adverse situations after joining theSteelers as a backup in 2003. He's appeared in 27 games for hishometown team, sometimes in blowouts, sometimes in nail-biters.''That's the dirty part of Steelers Jersey being a backup, you don't know whenyour number is going to be called,'' Batch said. ''It could be thefirst week, it could be Week 17. At the end of the day, nobodycares when your number is called ... it's just a matter of goingout there and helping your team win.''Dixon and Batch should get plenty of time to make a case forthemselves against the Panthers. Roethlisberger will likely onlyplay briefly, giving his backups a chance to get some rare work inwith the first-stringers.''This may be the last week you get your reps with the actualstarters,'' Batch said. ''During the course of the regular season,Ben gets all the snaps Authentic Michael Crabtree Jersey with the ones and we get whatever's leftover and it's not much. You have to make sure you hone your skillsthis week.''They aren't the only ones hoping to get extended looks onThursday.Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders is hoping to play after spendingmost of camp battling a stress fracture in his foot. He feels readyto go and is anxious to make up for lost time.Sanders started training camp third on the depth chart behindMike Wallace and Hines Ward. The outstanding preseason by AntonioBrown and the addition of former New York Jets wideout JerrichoCotchery has suddenly made spots 3-5 very cloudy. Sanders is hopingto Premier Anthony Davis Jersey Red provide some clarity.''I'm a competitor and I want to be out there,'' Sanders said.''There's some good football going on out there in the preseason,and I've missed three (games). And I want to get out there. I wantto play.''And Frank Gore Jersey Women Batch and Dixon certainly want to Frank Gore Jersey Authentic give him the ball, andgive themselves a chance to be No. 2 in the Michael Crabtree Authentic Jersey process.

Two days before each preseason game so far, Minnesota Vikingsoffensive coordinator Bill Musgrave has held a meeting with hisquarterbacks to discuss the game plan for the upcomingopponent.The Vikings' playbook is divided into sections, most based ondown and San Francisco 49ers Jersey distance.''He gives us a game plan of what we're going to run and webasically get to choose our top two plays from each section:third-and-2 to 5, third-and-6 to 10, stuff like that,'' rookieChristian Ponder said on Monday. ''So we choose what we want to doand those are the things we're going to run when we get in there.So it's great that we have input.''Musgrave doesn't stop with the quarterbacks. He talks to thereceivers about the routes they run, the running backs about theholes they like to hit, following through on a vow from early intraining camp that he was going to tailor his new offense to theplayers rather than make the players adapt to a specificsystem.''I appreciate the flexibility of coaches taking in what playersare suggesting a lot of times,'' receiver Bernard Berrian said.''Bill's really great at that.''From the moment coach Leslie Frazier hired him away from Atlantato install a new offense in Minnesota, folks have been wonderingwhat to call his system. Is it West Coast? Power running game? Runand shoot?Well, yes, yes and yes.Depending on who is at quarterback and the personnel groupingsin the huddle, the Vikings have shown a little bit of Premier Aaron Smith Jersey White everythingwith one game to go in the preseason.When Donovan McNabb is in the game, the play calls tend to bepasses from in the pocket, which is Authentic Aaron Smith Jersey White where the veteran is mostcomfortable operating.When youngsters Joe Webb and Ponder are in the game, there aremore designed rollouts to get them out of the hustle and bustle ofthe pocket and allow them to use their legs more. Premier Aldon Smith Jersey Webb had a36-yard run and a 10-yard Premier Aaron Smith Jersey Black scramble for a TD against the Cowboys onSaturday night, and Ponder never hesitated to get outside to eludethe rush.''We like to tailor-make or customize our system to fit ourplayers,'' Musgrave said earlier in training camp. Authentic Aldon Smith Jersey ''It's not asystem where we're going to sit here and say, 'Donovan didn't fitor another player didn't fit.'''We're going to customize our system to really play to theirstrengths. I think you do that not only with a veteran guy, butalso with a young guy. Whether it be Donovan or Christian, we wantto identify their traits that can help us win and play to theirstrengths.''It's a stark Anthony Davis Jersey White contrast to what many of the players here are usedto seeing from their coach. Brad Childress and offensivecoordinator Darrell Bevell were pretty firm Official San Francisco 49ers Jersey in requiring players toadhere to the West Coast system Childress brought with him fromPhiladelphia.And McNabb clashed with Mike and Kyle Shanahan in Washingtonlast season over the way he was being used.It's been a different atmosphere in Minnesota this August, evenas the Vikings are scrambling to learn a whole new system beforethe regular season opens in San Diego on Sept. 11. With nooffseason to study the playbook or Aldon Smith Jersey Red run through the scheme inminicamps, Musgrave really hasn't had a choice but to be flexibleand do his best to cater to what the players feel most comfortablerunning.The results were mixed in the first two games, with notouchdowns 49ers Aldon Smith Jersey scored by the No. 1 Authentic Anthony Davis Jersey offense. But the first unit lookedsharp against the Cowboys, moving the ball on the ground andthrough the air.''He's a guy who has obviously played the game Replica Aaron Smith Jersey Black and is used tobeing in a tough situation,'' McNabb said. ''He had quarterbackswho have been veterans and he has had quarterbacks who have beenrookies stepping in. Being able to jell with them and build arelationship early I think is important, because you NFL San Francisco 49ers Jersey Shop need to growtogether and get a feel for him.''The starters will play sparingly, if at all, in the preseasonfinale Thursday night. Ponder will start and Webb will likely playthe entire second half as the coaches look to get a read on whoshould serve as the primary backup to McNabb.Then Musgrave and the Vikings will have 10 days to focus in ongame-planning for the Chargers.''He understands the strengths of a lot of players and he wantsto feed into that,'' McNabb said. ''You know when you have AdrianPeterson, you have Toby Gerhart, you have Lorenzo Booker, different(running plays) really reflect on the different type of athletethat 49ers Aldon Smith Authentic Jersey they really are. He gets Percy Harvin into great positions,getting Kyle Rudolph into position. Using that to the best of ourability.''---Follow Anthony Davis Jersey Red Jon Krawczynski on Twitter:

John Beck was ready to speak to a group of reporters Monday whenhe noticed a TV cameraman having trouble with some equipment.''We're one camera short,'' Beck said. ''You all right?''He then calmly waited a full 40 seconds for the cameraman to geteverything fixed. No need to hurry. No sign of anxiety orimpatience. Just wait it out.As quarterback competitions go, the Washington Redskins have onethat's been about as polite and composed as it can be. Beck and RexGrossman are more friends than foes and are keeping whateverjitters they have to themselves, even in the final days beforecoach Mike Shanahan makes the call.''Yeah, I would like to know, but I'm not stressing about it,''Grossman said. ''It's coming to a head here pretty quickly, Irealize that. But at the same time I've got a job to do, and I'mnot trying to worry about things I don't have any controlover.''Here is Beck's take on the same subject, direct from the officeof redundancy.''It's exciting,'' he said, ''because I know there's going to bea decision made, but I can only control a portion of that by theway I play. I can't control the end decision.''Shanahan said he's never had a starting quarterback situation insuch flux going into the last preseason game. Even cornerbackDeAngelo Hall - who's not Customized New England Patriots Jersey in the offensive huddle - said he's a''little bit anxious'' to see who the winner will be. Becks vs. Rexis so close it's anyone's guess who's ahead and who's behind.''It's making it a hard choice for Personalized Patriots Jersey the coaches,'' receiver JabarGaffney said.The duel that began at the start Aaron Smith Authentic Jersey of training camp is now in thehomestretch. One preseason game remains - Thursday at Tampa Bay -then it's a matter of seeing how long Shanahan waits to reveal thestarter. The coach has said he might try to keep it a secret untilkickoff against the New York Giants on Sept. 11.''It's very close right now. I think everybody has been prettyimpressed with both guys against some pretty good defenses,''Shanahan said. ''We've got a few more practices and a game Aaron Smith Jersey Authentic to lookat it, then we'll make a decision if we say something before the(Giants) game - or go all the way to the game.''Shanahan rested all of his starters for last year's finalpreseason game, but he said his approach is ''completely differentthis Troy Polamalu Jersey Free Shipping year'' because of the lockout. All players have been told tobe ready to go, and both quarterbacks are expected Premier Aaron Smith Jersey to get time withthe first-stringers.Beck says he keeps the anxiety level low in part by tuning outthe media coverage as much as possible. Not since high school, whenhis mother would save his newspaper clippings, has he Custom Patriots Jersey paid muchattention to the public perception of his play. He also spent acouple of hours with Drew Brees before arriving in Washington fortraining camp, taking about overcoming adversity and ignoringdistractions.''You can have so many things going on in your head already inthe game itself, that if you start adding more into it, it cansometimes be a distraction,'' Beck said. Authentic Aaron Smith Jersey ''Sometimes it can worryyou, cause more anxiety. There's already enough as it is, playingquarterback.''Beck did stick up for himself when asked if it were fair thathe's still judged primarily by his mop-up duty with the MiamiDolphins in 2007, when he started four games as a rookie late inthe season for a team that went 1-15.''I know what I know,'' he answered, ''and I know that I'm notthe same quarterback that I was back then.''Maybe that's a hint of what Gaffney means when he says Beck has''that little swag'' in the huddle.''He likes to get amped up and get it going, and I like that ina quarterback,'' Gaffney said. ''That's not normal, him coming fromBYU. That's why it's real funny. Other than that he's like quiet,walking around. Then he just turns it out, turns a little swagon.''Beck also welcomed praise from ESPN commentator and former NFLcoach Jon Gruden, who declared during the broadcast of last week'sgame that the Troy Polamalu Jersey Women job should go to Beck.Grossman, obviously, was less enamored with Gruden'sremarks.''I'm glad I'm not playing for John Gruden,'' Grossman Troy Polamalu Authentic Jersey said witha smile.Disagreement! With these two Steelers Troy Polamalu Jersey quarterbacks, it's as close asthey'll get to a public spat.Notes: S LaRon Landry's status for the season opener is far froma certainty. He's recovering from a right hamstring he tweakedduring warmups before the preseason game against Indianapolis - andthat came just as he was returning from a Authentic Aaron Smith Jersey Black left Achilles' tendoninjury that ended his season early in 2010. ''I've seen tweaks taketwo days. I've seen tweaks take three weeks,'' Shanahan said.Landry is still on the physically unable to perform list, but he'lllikely be moved to the 53-man roster before the start of the season- even if he can't play in the Giants game. ... WR Authentic Troy Polamalu Jersey Black Brandon Banks(knee), DE Adam Carriker (foot) and RB Ryan Torain (hand) allpracticed Monday. WR Malcolm Kelly (foot), TE Chris Cooley (knee)and S Kareem Moore (knee) remain sidelined.

By DAVE SKRETTAAP Sports Writer Derrick Johnson remembers when he first walked into the Authentic Mewelde Moore Jersey Black Kansas City Premier Mewelde Moore Jersey White Chiefs' locker room. He was fresh out of Texas, carrying all the expectations that come with being a first-round draft pick, and there he was surrounded by a bunch of grizzled veterans.''Now that I look around,'' Johnson said this week, ''I'm one of the older guys on the team.''It's true. Johnson may only be 28 years old, but the middle linebacker is already entering his seventh season in the league. Only seven Reebok Football Patriots Jersey of the 89 players who the Chiefs brought to training camp have been in the NFL longer, and just two of them are on the defensive side of the ball.''I kind of figure I'm in the prime of my career right now, mentally and physically,'' said Johnson, who is coming off easily the Premier Mewelde Moore Jersey Black best year of his career. ''Everything is clicking on all cylinders.''It took a while - six years, 90 games and countless headaches, to be exact.When he was picked 15th overall in the 2005 draft, many envisioned Johnson as the next Derrick Thomas, the Chiefs' late nine-time Pro Bowl linebacker who represented the perfect blend of speed and athleticism. Even though Thomas was more adept at rushing the quarterback and Johnson at dropping into pass coverage, the two seemed to be cast from the same mold.Thomas was 6-foot-3, 243 pounds in his prime. Johnson is 6-3, 242 right now.Most of Custom Dallas Cowboys Jersey those comparisons were borne out Johnson's rookie season, when he started all 16 games and made 80 tackles and a couple of sacks. But his numbers started to decline the following year, and by 2009 he started just three games for the Chiefs and made 26 tackles all season.Then something seemed to click last summer. Johnson couldn't quite Mewelde Moore Authentic Jersey put his finger on it, but there was a sense of comfort in his second season under head Mike Wallace Authentic Jersey coach Todd Haley, and first-year defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel - who has seen just about everything in his 40-year career - managed to get the best out of him from the moment they began working together.Johnson started all 16 games as the Chiefs went from also-rans to division champions, making a career high 94 tackles, forcing three fumbles and returning an interception for a touchdown.''You know, Derrick, like I've said, he did some really good things last year and he did some really good things in training camp,'' Haley said. ''But you know, I think Derrick can be even better, and that's the exciting thing for all of us. And I Authentic Mewelde Moore Jersey White think he's shown some of that right now.''He Authentic Mewelde Moore Jersey certainly showed it Friday night against the St. Louis Rams, becoming one of the few bright spots during an abysmal stretch of preseason games for Kansas City.Johnson led the team with eight Authentic Maurkice Pouncey Jersey White tackles while only playing about a half, and New England Patriots Jersey Authentic sacked Sam Bradford on third-and-7 early in the second quarter to help force a punt. But the play that really stood out was on the Rams' previous series, after they had already put together two long touchdown drives and had just taken possession of the ball at their own 8 yard line.It was second down and Bradford dropped back to pass. He looked to his right, then back to his left, and thought he saw Greg Salas coming open. As soon as he released the throw, Johnson jumped into the path and pulled down a highlight-reel interception while tumbling to the ground.''That was just a phenomenal play,'' Haley said. ''When I watched it on tape, I just rewound it, rewound it, rewound it. The reaction, the ability Steelers Mike Wallace Jersey to catch the ball, hang on when he hit the ground ...''Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo even singled out the play in his postgame press conference, calling it the right read by Bradford and a good throw that just ended up with the wrong person.''Not a lot of guys in this league can make that play,'' Spagnuolo said. ''I Authentic Maurkice Pouncey Jersey Black thought it was a pretty good throw, and sometimes those things happen when you play against elite players.''The play was especially gratifying to Johnson because, despite all the good things he did last Authentic Mike Wallace Jersey season, he took a lot of grief for what he didn't do: Hold onto a couple of sure interceptions.''It definitely was one of my bigger plays as far as interceptions, spectacular catches,'' Johnson said. ''He kind of thought his guy was hot routing, wide open, and I just Mike Wallace Jersey Black kind of slid under and made the catch. The quarterbacks are so good in this league it has to be a split-second kind of deal.''Haley believes that's the kinds of play Johnson can make regularly now, the kind of play he perhaps wouldn't have made when he was a younger player. And it's the kind of play Johnson will need to make if Kansas City wants to make it back to the playoffs this season.''He's working hard at it, he's passionate about it, he's a great teammate, and when you can make plays like that, game-changers and get a sack and do some of the things he's been doing, that's good stuff,'' Haley said. ''If we can get him to show up like that throughout the year, that Mike Wallace Jersey White would sure be a good thing for our defense.''

 N.Y. (AP)Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Kyle Williams and wildcatquarterback Brad Smith have been held out of practice forprecautionary reasons due to injuries.Coach Chan Gailey says Smith twisted his foot, but didn'tspecify the nature of Williams' injury Monday. It was the Bills'first practice since Customized Cowboys Jersey a 35-32 overtime preseason win overJacksonville on Saturday.Both were hurt in the game, but did not miss playing time.Williams had a sack and three tackles. Smith had four Authentic Rashard Mendenhall Jersey Black carries Rashard Mendenhall Jersey Authentic for19 yards and an incompletion.It's unclear whether either will play Thursday in Buffalo'spreseason finale against Detroit.Receivers Roscoe Parrish (hamstring) and Donald Jones (head),and running back Johnny White (head) returned to practice. Parrishexpects to be Authentic Rashard Mendenhall Jersey ready for the regular-season opener at Kansas City onSept. 11.
ETEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)The New York Jets' training facility in Florham Park lost powerSunday as a result of Hurricane Irene, and is operating off anexisting generator.Areas critical to team operations, such as for coaching, andpersonnel, plus team meeting rooms, the training room and footballvideo room are working Premier Rashard Mendenhall Jersey with backup power. The Jets' media relationsand ticketing departments have also been working Rashard Mendenhall Authentic Jersey out of thetraining facility.The Jets briefly held meetings at the facility earlier Mondaybefore they headed to MetLife Stadium for their preseason gameagainst the Giants that was originally scheduled for Saturday.Starting Tuesday, the majority of the Jets' business supportstaff will work out of the stadium.

    (AP)The Seahawks traded former first-round pick Kelly Jennings toCincinnati for defensive tackle Clinton McDonald on Monday, givingthe cornerback a chance to get past his disappointing times inSeattle.Jennings was the 31st overall pick in Rashard Mendenhall Jersey Women the 2006 draft out ofMiami, but struggled throughout his career in Seattle dealing withlarger receivers. He played in 78 games and started 43 with theSeahawks, but had just two interceptions in his five seasons.Jennings was deemed expendable with the development of WalterThurmond and Seattle's offseason acquisition of BrandonBrowner.''We looked at him in the offseason a little bit,'' Bengalsdefensive coordinator Mike Zimmer Authentic Dallas Cowboys Jersey said. ''He can run. Now we haveto try and get him playing good.''The Bengals have been trying to upgrade their secondary sincethe NFL lockout ended. Starting cornerback Johnathan Joseph leftfor Houston as a free agent, deciding he had a better chance to winthere. No. 3 cornerback Adam ''Pacman'' Jones is recovering fromneck surgery and isn't allowed to participate in contactdrills.The Bengals signed free agent cornerback Nate Clements to takeJoseph's spot. Coach Marvin Lewis said the Bengals consideredJennings before signing Clements.''It seemed like a Cowboys Jersey move that was good for both clubs,'' Lewissaid. ''It's sad we had to watch Clinton walk out the door in orderfor it to happen, but if he comes in like we expect, he Reebok Mike Wallace Jersey can Authentic Troy Polamalu Jersey play500-600 snaps this season, even more. He gives us some NFL Mike Wallace Jersey moredepth.''McDonald was a seventh-round choice of the Bengals in 2009. Heplayed in eight games last season after being signed Authentic Mike Wallace Jersey Black from thepractice squad.---Freelance writer Joe Reedy in Cincinnati contributed to thisreport.

UpdatedAug 29, 2011 7:50 PM ETPower outages from Tropical Storm Irene forced the New EnglandPatriots out of their home stadium for practice on Monday. Whenthey return, safety James Sanders won't be with them.The Patriots released the six-year veteran, who was tied forsecond on the team Maurkice Pouncey Authentic Jersey with three interceptions last season. He Authentic Maurkice Pouncey Jersey was dueto make a base salary of $2.8 million Official Maurkice Pouncey Jersey in 2011.''Tough release there Official Dallas Cowboys Jersey with James Sanders,'' coach Bill Belichicksaid in a conference call. ''James has been a good guy to have onthis team. A hardworking kid. ... He's been a really solid teamplayer for us but we just, part Lawrence Timmons Jersey Authentic of the move, needed to releasepeople.''Also Monday, the Patriots signed receiver Tiquan Underwood andsafety Ross Ventrone and released 10 other players: receiversDarnell Jenkins and Tyree Barnes, kicker Chris Koepplin, fullbackEric Kettani, long snapper Matt Katula, offensive lineman MarkWetterer, tight end Garrett Mills, defensive backs Jonathan Wilhiteand Malcolm Williams and defensive linemen Clay Nurse and KadeWeston.Sanders was a fourth-round draft pick from Fresno State in 2005who has totaled 300 tackles, eight interceptions, two forcedfumbles and two fumble recoveries in his career. He has also playedin 10 postseason games, starting seven.''Not a lot of negatives with James,'' Belichick said. ''But wehave to select the players that we feel like are best for ourteam.''NFL teams Personalized Oakland Raiders Jersey need to get down to 80-man rosters by Tuesday and to53 by the season opener. The Patriots have one preseason game left,at home on Thursday against the New Replica Lawrence Timmons Jersey Black York Giants, before the openeron Sept. 12 against the Miami Dolphins.Belichick said he had no updates on Wes Welker (neck) and DanConnolly (ankle), who left Saturday's game against Detroit, whichthe Lions won 34-10.Irene killed five in New England even as it was downgraded froma hurricane that devastated North Carolina and points south. As atropical storm, it snarled transportation while causing widespreadflooding and power outages that left more than 400,000 Reebok Maurkice Pouncey Jersey peoplewithout power in Massachusetts alone on Monday.The Patriots were among Steelers Lawrence Timmons Authentic Jersey them.Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the power at GilletteStadium went out Sunday morning and had not been fully restoredearly Monday evening. So, the team had a walkthrough and meetingsoff-site.James would not divulge the location.''We're working outside of the stadium today, but we should beback there in a little while and it sounds like we'll be back tonormal,'' NFL Maurkice Pouncey Jersey Belichick said. ''We weathered the storm and we shouldget back hopefully into a normal flow of things heretomorrow.''Linebacker Jerod Mayo said his family in Virginia lost power,and he did at home in New England as well. Deion Branch said hisfamily had trouble getting back from the game in Detroit.''That may be the only scare that I really had,'' he said in aconference call with reporters.Defensive lineman Andre Carter said there was no disruptioncaused by Personalized Raiders Jersey moving Monday's workout.''There was no other difference after the game or after a day ofrest. We came in, we worked out, (we) did stretching, got themuscle fatigue out,'' he said. ''We took advantage of (anothersite) the best way we could. ... We're very fortunate to have someresources to pretty much do what we need to do and be professionalfor this team.''Underwood appeared in 13 games over two seasons with theJacksonville Jaguars before he was released Replica Lawrence Timmons Jersey White on Saturday. Last year,he caught eight passes for 111 yards and returned 24 kicks for 561yards.Ventrone spent most of last season on the Patriots' practicesquad. He went to camp with the team this year but was released onAug. 10.

Of the 16 teams that played a 4-3 defense in 2010 and will again this season, six are projected to start new middle linebackers, and two of the newcomers will be rookies. Third-round pick Mason Foster replaces Barrett Ruud in Tampa Bay and Philadelphia's fourth-round selection, Casey Matthews, is in for the departed Stewart Bradley. The move will mark a bit of a transition for Foster, who played only sparingly in the middle during a very good college career at Washington, but who was privately earmarked for the "Mike" position as a contingency, in the event that Ruud who signed with Tennessee went elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent. "The big thing is that you can't necessarily get caught up with making huge plays," Foster told The Sports Xchange. "You've just got to make plays, period. Be steady. You know, stay at home, take care of the detail stuff, do what you're supposed to do, and do it well. You can't try to do too much, you know? Just do your job. Be a kind of like a tackling machine and be proud of that." Actually, Ruud made more "big Customized Philadelphia Eagles Jersey plays"  five sacks, six interceptions, six forced fumbles, and five recoveries, in his four seasons as a starter  than most middle linebackers do, or more than a lot of folks realized. Foster likely won't be as effective, but will be asked to turn and cover the deep center of the field at times, a prerequisite for any 4-3 middle linebacker in a Cover-2 scheme. Nonetheless, neither Foster nor Matthews, who played middle linebacker at Oregon, are known for their flashiness. Both are regarded as smart, instinctive defenders and solid tacklers, guys who play by the book, but in a positive sense. Said one veteran Eagles' defender of Matthews: "He won't jump out at you, and he'll pretty much mostly play tackle to tackle, but he'll be at the bottom of a lot of piles." Ironically, Matthews wasn't credited with a single tackle in the official statistics from the Eagles' preseason opener on Thursday night, but coaches seemed generally satisfied by his performance. Although drafted outside of the top 50 players, Foster and Matthews seem to be typical of the rationale that has become prevalent among 4-3 franchises anymore. In the past 10 drafts, only four "pure" 4-3 middle linebackers were chosen in the first round, the latest being Rolando McClain of Oakland in 2010.  Not only are 4-3 clubs reluctant to invest high-round picks on middle linebackers, players who line up for just the first two snaps and then jog to the sideline in "sub" situations, but they're also moving younger players into the position, as well. Talk about cutting out the middle man. With only a few exceptions, middle linebacker has become a run-stuffing specialist position, the antithesis of what it used to be when it was the glamour spot for a lot of defensive units. Of course, the evolution of the position doesn't matter much to Foster or Matthews. "It's still a lot of responsibility, which I don't take lightly at all," Foster said. "There's a lot to learn, like get people lined up in the right place, calling all the changes for the defense, and a lot of pressure on you." It's also a position, it seems, where youth is being served. Five of the linebackers from the 16 teams with returning 4-3 fronts in 2011 figure to have starters at the "Mike" spot with two seasons or fewer of NFL tenure, and seven with three years or less.   Around the league *Status quo, status no: The public pronouncement by Tennessee team president Mike Reinfeldt on Thursday, that the Titans are prepared to make holdout tailback Chris Johnson the highest paid player at his position, isn't apt to be enough to get the three-year veteran into camp. Johnson told local media that, Reinfeldt's public stance aside, he hasn't yet been offered a contract. A member of the Johnson camp confirmed that to The Sports Xchange. Said the source: "Nothing has changed. Talk is cheap; Johnson won't be." The franchise shuffled CJ's contract to get him into camp last summer, moving some of the "escalator" money he had already earned forward into the Tony Romo Jersey Free Shipping deal, and raising his salary for this year from 800,000 to 1.07 million. But as Reinfeldt and the Titans know, bookkeeping legerdemain this year isn't going to be enough to get a deal done. Or to get Johnson to abandon his boycott of camp. Said the source: "The funny thing is that Chris actually believes Bud Adams, owner wants to win. He really does. But he thinks they have a funny way of showing it." Or, perhaps, not showing it. *Lee-ward side: It's widely believed that the Buffalo Bills have already paid 1.5 million to wide receiver Lee Evans, who was due a roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year. It's also believed, by at least two or three teams, that the investment won't deter the Bills from dealing the speedy seven-year Official Tony Romo Jersey veteran if someone meets the asking price. Buffalo feels it is loaded with developing, young receivers  Stevie Johnson, Donald Jones, David Nelson, Marcus Easley, Naaman Roosevelt, and maybe even former San Diego first-rounder Craig Davis, who was recently signed after the Chargers gave up on him  and that it can extract a pretty good price for Evans, who can still play. Arizona, which is seeking a complement to Larry Fitzgerald, has been rumored as a suitor. Despite some reports, there is no interest by Carolina. But there is at least one other NFC team poking around Evans as well, league sources told The Sports Xchange on Thursday night, so the market may be picking up. Evans, 30, has a fairly palatable base salary of 3.275 million for this year and next, and a roster bonus due in 2012. Sources contend there has been no move by the Bills to extend or restructure the contract, and Evans' representatives had not been granted permission by Buffalo officials to speak to other clubs about doing so. Granted, Evans is coming off a down year in 2010. His 13 appearances were the least of his career, and his 11 starts his fewest since his 2004 rookie campaign. He had career lows in catches 37 and yards 578, and managed only four scores. But he did average 15.6 yards, down just a tick from his 15.7-yard career average, and can still scare secondaries deep. There are a lot of observers who might prefer that Evans add some middle-range diversity to his game, and that he come over the middle a bit more, but he's still an attractive guy. And given the uptick in wideout trades the past five years or so, a legitimate candidate to be playing somewhere other than in Western New York in 2011, even with the Bills having paid out the seven-figure roster bonus. *Pryor commitment: The situation could change before Wednesday but, as of Friday morning when this column was filed, quarterback Terrelle Pryor had yet to be cleared for the supplemental draft, and there were serious doubts among several league personnel directors that the former Ohio State star will be. The NFL, sources told The Sports Xchange, is in part closely studying a fairly incendiary letter sent to Pryor and agent Drew Rosenhaus from OSU officials in which the quarterback's alleged indiscretions are outlined, and in which the university essentially cuts ties with Pryor. The Sports Xchange reported several weeks ago that, if Pryor is blocked from inclusion in the supplemental draft, he would consider suing the NFL, Authentic Tyron Smith Jersey but people in his camp have since backed away from that possibility, although a source close to Pryor insisted on Thursday night it's still "under discussion." As of Friday morning, there were four players approved for the supplemental draft, and former Georgia tailback Caleb King, who will audition for NFL scouts next Monday, seemed to be the best known of the bunch. And even he is a long shot to be selected. Since 2000, there have been four years, most recently in 2008, in which there were no picks exercised at all. *Reggie ready: It was news to Reggie Kelly, and to agent Jimmy Sexton who responded with incredulity when a reporter apprised him his client had opted to walk away from the game, that there were reports the 11-year veteran tight end was retiring. Not true. Kelly visited the Pittsburgh camp this week and, while the contract offer of a one-year deal for the league minimum base salary of 910,000 wasn't enough to make him jump immediately, he had a good meeting with coach Mike Tomlin and club officials and is considering the proposal. The Steelers, who last week failed to lure veteran free agent Daniel Graham, are still seeking a veteran blocking tight end to complement Heath Miller, who will line up more at H-back this season as the Pittsburgh offense has expanded Authentic Tyron Smith Jersey Blue his receiving responsibilities, and Kelly is a guy who is attractive for a lot of reason, not the least of which that that he knows the AFC North. Kelly has only 194 receptions in 11 campaigns, and has only thrice caught more than 20 balls, and just twice more than 30, but he is a terrific and selfless in-line blocker. And, maybe most important, despite reports to the contrary, he wants to play in 2011. *Leadership drain: Assuming he doesn't return to the Bengals for '11  and there has been a kind of mutual/unofficial understanding that the two sides will part ways  the loss of Kelly will be one felt more in the Cincinnati locker room than on the field. With good reason, the "retirement" of quarterback Carson Palmer has garnered most of the headlines. But Palmer always suggested publicly that Kelly was one of the club's unquestioned leaders and at one point referred to the tight end  as the "best teammate" he'd ever had in the NFL. The losses of Palmer, Kelly, middle 'backer Dhani Jones, and to a lesser but still significant sense, cornerback Johnathan Joseph, leaves a veteran leadership void in the Cincy locker room.  *Got their backers: Second-year linebacker Jason Worilds has demonstrated more intensity in camp this summer than a year ago, but word out of Latrobe, Pa., is that Steelers coaches are really excited about the way that fifth-round rookie Chris Carter of Fresno State has taken to the transition from undersized college defensive end to outside 'backer in the Pittsburgh 3-4 scheme. Carter is generously listed at just 6-1, but plays with notable leverage and lots of heart. The Steelers would like to reduce some of the workload of starters James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, each of whom logged roughly 150 snaps in '10, but need to develop some depth behind their two Pro Bowl-caliber edge defenders. For now, the improving Worilds, who had two sacks in limited playing time as a rookie, is the No. 3 guy. But even though the Steelers rarely push their first-year players, especially at outside linebacker, where they prefer to apprentice a guy for a year or two, keep an eye on Carter, who figures to get plenty of opportunity in the first couple preseason games. *Running on empty: Through Thursday evening, 18 unrestricted free agent tailbacks had either signed with new teams or re-signed with their incumbent franchises. The contracts those players received, either from new teams or holdover clubs, seemed to offer a pretty graphic illustration of how the tailback position is regarded by a lot of teams anymore. Disposable. Teams draft a player, run him NFL Tony Romo Jersey into the ground for five years or so, then draft a replacement. It's become one of the most fungible positions in the NFL, and the effect of the prevalence of the time-sharing plan at the running back spot has become obvious. Only five of the 18 received multi-year contracts, and just four  DeAngelo Williams Carolina, Ahmad Bradshaw Giants, Darren Authentic Oakland Raiders Jersey Sproles New Orleans, and Joseph Addai Indianapolis  got agreements for more than two years. Back in February, at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, Sexton suggested that the Panthers would "pay Williams a lot of money to stay." They did, with a five-year, 43 million contract. But there are some personnel guys around the NFL who question the investment in the 28-year-old Williams, especially since Carolina already has Jonathan Stewart and Mike Goodson on board. Fact is, almost as many fullbacks four as tailbacks earned multi-year contracts. Think about this: Three onetime top 10 first-rounders  Cedric Benson Cincinnati, Cadillac Williams St. Louis and Ronnie Brown Philadelphia  all got one-year contracts.  *Sharper focus: Certainly among the most high-profile of the original unrestricted free agents still available, not counting the veteran players released over the past two weeks, free safety Darren Sharper definitely wants to play a 15th season in 2011, and has had a few nibbles. In fact, The Sports Xchange has learned that Sharper received an inquiry from a fairly prominent team as recently as Wednesday, and there were serious conversations with officials from the club. But Sharper, who will be 36 in November, is holding out hope that a viable Super Bowl contender will Raiders Jersey still call. Despite the "name status" of the team involved this week with Sharper, he is uncertain of its playoff readiness. Sharper's 63 career interceptions are tied for sixth most in league history. He is tied with Ronnie Lott for second most among pure safeties, behind only all-time leader Paul Krause. *No sense kicking: In a trend that isn't likely to thrill guys like Devin Hester if it continues, there were 51 kickoffs in the five Thursday night games, and 40 were into the end zone, and 16 were for touchbacks. But don't loom for the competition committee, which endorsed moving the kickoff to the 35-yard line this year for safety purposes, to have any kind of knee-jerk reaction to the numbers. "One night of preseason play is a pretty small sample," one committee member told The Sports Xchange on Friday morning. "Let's give it a while, let everyone get used to it, and get a bigger body of work to examine. . . . But do I think, just based on Thursday and what guys see and are reading on the stats page, that there are a lot of return guys complaining? Yeah, I'm sure there are." *Punts: For at least the past three seasons, matching the tenure of Mike Smith as head coach, Atlanta has been a team that preferred a cornerback as its "nickel" player in the secondary. That will probably remain the case in 2011, with young veterans Christopher Owens and Dominique Franks battling for the No. 3 job behind Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes. But second-year safety Rafael Bush, who spent most of 2010 on the practice squad, is in the hunt as well. If he wins the job, it will mean at least a philosophical and schematic tweak for the Falcons. ... Over the past few seasons, the safety spot has been a problem area in Chicago, but that doesn't appear to be the case in 2011. Not only do the Bears have a solid pair of starters in strong safety Chris Harris and free Reebok Tyron Smith Jersey safety Major Wright, but backups Craig Steltz and Chris Conte, the latter a rookie third-rounder, have been early camp standouts. Look for Harris, traded to Carolina in 2007 and then re-acquired via trade last year, to be offered a contract extension. The unheralded Harris, who has been among the NFL leaders in fumbles forced/recovered the past three years, is scheduled to make about 1.6 million in bonuses and salary for '11, the final year of his contract. ... As for the Bengals' tight end situation cited above, the team really likes what it has seen so far in camp of undrafted college free agent Colin Cochart of South Dakota State. The Bengals have solid receivers at the position  Jermaine Greshman caught 52 passes as a rookie in 2010, and veteran Bo Scaife, signed this week as a free agent, is a proven intermediate-range guy  but has to unearth a blocker to replace Kelly. It's still very early, but Cochart might be that guy... . In case you missed The Tony Romo Jersey 9 Sports Xchange column earlier this week, the league expects that HGH testing will be part of the drug screening administered to draft prospects who attend the NFL combine starting next February. On a related note, The Sports Xchange founder Frank Cooney passed on that Bodog.com has established odds on what position will be the first to have a player test positive for HGH. The odds: defensive line, 5-2; offensive line, 3-1; wide receiver, tight end, safety, and cornerback, all 4-1; running back, 5-1; quarterback, 7-1; kicker and punter, 10-1. ... Although he has proven to Replica Tyron Smith Jersey Blue be one of the NFL's top offensive line coaches, Mike Tice of Chicago is under the microscope this year, particularly with the Bears' decision not to re-sign six-time Pro Bowl snapper and acknowledged team leader Olin Kreutz, who signed with New Orleans. In the Bears' reshuffled line, Roberto Garza becomes the new starting center, a spot he hasn't played since 2001, and his third different starting position in five years. Left guard Chris Williams, originally chosen as a left tackle in the first round in 2008, is the only projected starter to have started at his current spot for more than four regular-season games. ... Former Indianapolis starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden might be the most attractive free agent still available in the estimation of a few teams. But there remains some concern about the neck injury Hayden suffered in 2010, and about his contract expectations as well. ... The additions of veterans such as Ben Leber, Zac Diles and Brady Poppinga in free agency have forced three-year veteran linebacker David Vobora out of a job in St. Louis. Vobora, who won a landmark 5.4 million judgment against a supplements company this spring, was waived on Friday morning. Vobora has yet to collect a cent of his judgment award. ... The good news for the Oakland passing game is that the light bulb seems to be at least flickering for 2009 first-round wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey, and that third-year veteran tight end Brandon Myers and rookie fifth-round wide receiver Denarius Moore could Tyron Smith Jersey 77 contribute to the passing game. The bad news is that oft-injured wide receiver Chaz Schilens suffered a knee injury in Thursday's preseason opener. The injury may not be serious but it continues a run of injuries for the star-crossed three-year veteran. ... The Raiders may intensify their efforts to re-sign veteran tackle Langston Walker, who is drawing interest from a few other teams, after Thursday night. Khalif Barnes, who was re-signed for depth after Baltimore free agent Jared Gaither failed his physical because of back problems, was flagged for three false starts. ... Sure, it's only one preseason game, but New England seems to have developed another solid and capable backup quarterback in Brian Hoyer. ... Oft-injured in Denver, four-year veteran right tackle Ryan Harris has not only provided depth for the Eagles, NFL Tyron Smith Jersey but might be pushing for a starting job, especially with Winston Justice still rehabbing from offseason knee surgery. Philly may have a logjam at tackle, and it will not be all that surprising to see the Eagles deal off one of their right tackles. Three-year veteran King Dunlap, long on potential but shy on playing time, isn't exactly a good fit for the smaller, quicker model new line coach Howard Mudd historically seems to have preferred. ... Despite never winning a game as a starter in his five seasons in the league 0-10, unrestricted free agent Brodie Croyle of Kansas City may be one of the better backup quarterback types still available, and he's had some modest interest. But the former third-round draft pick is likely to wait to see if someone is injured in the first few weeks of preseason play before jumping at an offer. ... It was surprising to many, especially given the interest demonstrated by archrival Pittsburgh, that Baltimore didn't sign veteran wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery when he visited the Ravens this week. Next to Anquan Boldin, who has 650 career catches, the five other veteran wideouts on the roster have combined for 123 receptions. And three of the five have never registered a reception in a regular-season game. As noted by The Sports Xchange last month in a column, the Ravens really need draft choices Torry Smith and Tandon Doss to step up as rookies. Cotchery subsequently signed a one-year contract with the Steelers. *The last word: "Could I cover him? That's like asking Martha Stewart if she could cover a bed."  Newly inducted Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, when asked if he could cover Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans, whom he cited as the NFL's best wide receiverCopyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.                                PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare

 BUFFALO, N.Y. AP - A person familiar with trade talks has told The Associated Press that the Buffalo Bills have dealt receiver Lee Evans to Miles Austin Throwback Jersey the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.The deal was completed on Friday, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because neither team has Custom Eagles Jersey announced the deal.Selected by Buffalo in the first-round of the 2004 draft out of Wisconsin, Evans is a seven-year veteran who Authentic Tony Romo Jersey has NFL Miles Austin Jersey two years left on his contract. He's enjoyed two 1,000-yard seasons, but his numbers have tailed off over the past two years in part of the Bills offensive struggles.He joins a Ravens team seeking to Official Eagles Jersey improve its receiver position after cutting both Derrick Mason and tight Official Miles Austin Jersey end Todd Heap.                            Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use ordistribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and TheAssociated Press is strictly prohibited.    PrintEmail Philadelphia Eagles Jersey a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare
 It was news Authentic Miles Austin Jersey to Reggie Kelly, and to agent Jimmy Sexton who responded with incredulity when a reporter apprised him his client had opted to walk away from the game, that there Miles Austin Jersey 19 were reports the 11-year veteran tight end was retiring. Not true. Kelly visited the Pittsburgh camp this week and, while the contract offer Reebok Tony Romo Jersey of a one-year deal for the league minimum base salary of 910,000 wasn't enough to make him jump immediately, he had a good meeting with coach Mike Tomlin Authentic Miles Austin Jersey Blue and club officials and is considering the Cowboys Jason Witten Authentic Jersey proposal. The Steelers, who last week failed to lure veteran free agent Daniel Graham, are still seeking a veteran blocking tight end to complement Heath Miller, who will line up more at H-back this season as the Pittsburgh offense has expanded his receiving responsibilities, and Kelly is a guy who is attractive for a lot of reason, not the least of which that that he knows the AFC North. Kelly has only 194 receptions Jason Witten Jersey Women in 11 campaigns, and has only thrice caught more than 20 balls, and just twice more than 30, but he is a terrific and selfless in-line blocker. And, maybe most important, despite reports to the contrary, he wants to play in 2011.Assuming he doesn't return to the Bengals for '11  and there has been a kind of mutual/unofficial understanding that the two sides will part ways  the loss of Kelly will be one felt more in the Cincinnati locker room than on the field. With good reason, the "retirement" of quarterback Carson Palmer has garnered most of the headlines. But Palmer always suggested publicly that Kelly was one of the club's unquestioned leaders and at one point referred to the tight end  as the "best teammate" he'd ever had in the NFL. The losses of Palmer, Kelly, middle 'backer Dhani Jones, and to a lesser but still significant sense, cornerback Johnathan Joseph, leaves a veteran leadership void in the Cincy locker room.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.                                PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare

ESPN's 3.3 overnight rating for the Seahawks-Chargers game to kick off the nationally-televised preseason schedule Thursday night was up 13.% percent from last year's 2.9 rating for the Panthers-Ravens preseason opener last year, according to The Daily.That included an 8.7 rating on ESPN and 4.6 on KZJO-Ind. in the Seattle area and 7.7 on ESPN and 12.9 on KFMB-CBS in the San Diego area.Copyright Customized Cowboys Jersey C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.                                PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare
 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. AP - It's a no go for Plaxico Burress in the New York Jets' preseason opener.Rex Ryan announced Friday that the wide receiver, recovering from an ankle injury that has hobbled him in training camp, won't play against the Texans on Monday - and won't even fly with the team to Houston."They think the altitude when you fly Replica Felix Jones Jersey there, that that can increase swelling," Ryan said. "We're trying to get Plaxico at 100 percent, so what we'll do is he'll come out next Wednesday, we assume he will be 100 percent then if we back off him completely now."Burress was scheduled to have an MRI on Friday on his left ankle, which he rolled while running routes last week. Ryan says Burress is feeling the best he has since being injured, but he'll be kept out of team drills again."With this MRI, we're just making sure that we are not seeing something," Ryan said. "We'll keep our fingers crossed, Jason Witten Jersey 82 but we really don't think it is worse."On Thursday, Ryan said he hoped Burress would be able to participate in "a few plays" in the preseason opener. The team's doctors nixed that plan Friday."I really thought we would play him," Felix Jones Jersey Replica Ryan said, adding that it's still considered a minor injury.Burress, who signed with the Jets on Replica Jason Witten Jersey Blue July 31 after spending Jason Witten Jersey Free Shipping 20 months in prison on a gun charge, is recovering after rolling the ankle last week while running routes with Santonio Holmes. He hasn't participated in any team drills since being in on three plays Monday.Burress won't have to fly until the third week of the regular season, when New York is at Oakland. After Monday, their remaining preseason games are at New Meadowlands Stadium - including an "away" game against the Giants. The Jets then open the regular season with home Felix Jones Jersey Blue games against Dallas and Jacksonville."If we had to play a regular-season game, he would play, he would definitely play," Ryan said. "That's the way we would approach it. He wants to go, but it's,'Let's just hold you out here,' and I think it's the smart thing to do."Meanwhile, center Nick Mangold is day to day after suffering a stinger in practice Thursday that caused some temporary numbness in one of his arms."That's always a little disconcerting," he said. "It always shoots a shock to the system, but it seems to be doing better today."Mangold could participate in individual drills, but not 11-on-11s, and it was uncertain if he'll be able to play in Houston."I'm feeling good," Mangold said. "It was just a stinger, nothing too crazy. They want to take precautions with it."Mangold, who was down on both hands and knees for several minutes following a goal-line drill, was examined Authentic Jason Witten Jersey by the Jets' medical staff before getting up slowly and walking off the field under his own power. Felix Jones Jersey 28 The neurological injury, common in football and other high-contact sports, also is called Custom Dallas Cowboys Jersey a "burner," which often involves the pinching of nerves in the neck and/or arm.X-rays were taken on his spine and neck, and they turned out fine.Mangold said "everything went a little shaky there" when the injury happened, and called it "just part of the game.""It's a little odd when the trainer tells you to stay down, don't Cowboys Jersey move," he said. "After that, no big deal."Right guard Brandon Moore was moved from the physically-unable-to-perform list Felix Jones Replica Jersey to the active roster after he missed the start of training camp while recovering from offseason hip surgery.Moore, the second-longest tenured member of the Jets, had surgery on his hip in February. He'll be limited to individual drills and isn't expected to play against the Texans.                            Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use ordistribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and TheAssociated Press is strictly prohibited.    PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare

Wide receiver Lee Evans was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a fourth-round pick according to the Baltimore Sun. Evans, who has Personalized Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey two years left on his current contract, earned a 1.5 million roster bonus from the Bills earlier in the month. The Bills traded the 30-year-old after rampant speculation a deal could be in the offing. Evans is due 3.275 million in base salary in 2011 and '12. He gives the Ravens a veteran No. 2 receiver to replace Derrick Mason, released on Aug. 2, as the starter opposite Anquan Boldin. The Ravens drafted Torrey Smith, a speedster who left Dez Bryant Jersey Replica Maryland after his junior season, and Tandon Doss but neither rookie was impressive in Thursday's preseason opener against the Eagles.Evans wasn't essential to the Bills' multiple-receiver offense. They had success with other veterans, including Stevie Johnson, last season when Evans played in a career-low 13 games and caught 37 passes for 578 yards and four touchdowns. His 15.6-yard per-catch average is in line with his career average of 15.7 yards. Boldin, not noted for his speed, was unable to separate from the Eagles' defensive backs on Thursday. He'll benefit from having a deep threat on the other side of the field to attract safeties from the deep third of the field.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.                                PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare
Quarterback Brett Favre told WGR-AM in Buffalo that he lacks the motivation to return for a 21st NFL season.Favre, 41, admitted it probably would have been a better choice to retire after his excellent first season with Minnesota in 2009, but felt he owed it to the team to return for one more season."I don't have that feeling, that chip on my shoulder," said Favre of the disappointing 2010 season. "I mean, I could easily talk myself into that chip on my shoulder like, 'Hey everybody hates you,' ... I could motivate myself."Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.                                PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare

 The mascot at Ozzie Newsome's alma mater, the University of Alabama, is a huge, gray pachyderm, nicknamed "Big Al."And like that more celebrated elephant, the Baltimore Ravens' general manager didn't forget what Lee Evans did to his team last year. So when Dez Bryant Throwback Jersey it came time on Friday to make a trade bid for the seven-year veteran, Newsome clearly prioritized the Ravens' need for a wide receiver, but he didn't exactly purge last season's win over the Bills from his memory banks, either.On Oct. 24, in Baltimore's 37-34 overtime victory at M&T Bank Stadium, Evans scored three times, on receptions of 17, 20, and 33 yards. In an otherwise down year for Evans, the speedy receiver had 10 catches for 105 yards, cavorting unchecked through a Ravens defense that was overmatched against him.Newsome, regarded in many circles as the league's premier talent evaluator, didn't answer his private line, as he is often wont to do, Friday afternoon after the trade. But a club source referred to last season's performance by Evans against the Ravens, noting: "You don't think Ozzie forgot that, do you?"Nope, we sure don't.Nor did Newsome lose sight of the fact that the Ravens sorely required another proven receiver to team with Anquan Bolden. After Dez Bryant Jersey Blue Boldin, who has 650 career catches, the five other veteran wideouts on the Baltimore roster have a combined 123 receptions. And three of the five have never registered a reception in a regular-season game. As noted by The Sports Xchange last month in a column, the Ravens really needed draft choices Torry Smith and Tandon Doss to step up as rookies, at least before the acquisition of Evans.Now the two youngsters can develop minus some of the pressure.It's believed the Ravens and Bills had been discussing a trade for a few days, which might explain why Baltimore passed on signing veteran wideout Jerricho Cotchery when he visited the team earlier this week.The Ravens surrendered only a Cowboys Dez Bryant Authentic Jersey fourth-round draft choice for Evans. Even with Evans' subpar production in 2010, arguably his worst season since joining the Bills as a first-round Felix Jones Authentic Jersey selection in 2004, the price seems like a very reasonable one, given Baltimore's need for another pass catcher.Evans, 30, is definitely a big-play threat. Authentic Dallas Cowboys Jersey Some critics have contended that he might lack some diversity in his repertoire, and should perhaps develop more moves over the middle as an intermediate threat, but he provides the Ravens an outside receiver who can streak up the boundary and he will instill fear into opposition secondaries.The former Wisconsin Official Dallas Cowboys Jersey standout has 377 receptions, 5,934 receiving yards and 43 touchdowns for his career. He has twice surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Perhaps most important, Evans has averaged 31.7 Dez Bryant Authentic Jersey yards per touchdown catch. He has 19 touchdown grabs of 30 yards or more, eight of 50-plus yards, and seven of more than 60 yards.There are two seasons remaining on Evans' contract, at base salaries of 3.275 million each for 2011 and 2012. It is believed the Bills have already paid Evans a 1.5 million roster bonus that was due the fifth day of the league year. He has a similar roster bonus for 2012. It is not yet known if the Ravens have restructured the contract in any way.His 13 appearances last season were the least of his career, and his 11 starts his fewest since Evans' 2004 rookie campaign. He had career lows in catches 37 and yards 578, and managed only four scores. But he did average 15.6 yards per catch, down just a tick from his 15.7-yard career average, and can still scare secondaries deep, which should make Boldin even more effective.Len Pasquarelli is a Senior NFL Writer for The Sports Xchange. He has covered the NFL for 33 years and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee. His NFL coverage earned recognition as the winner of the McCann Award for distinguished reporting in 2008.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. Authentic Felix Jones Jersey All Rights Reserved.                                PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare