Boldin is a guy with an established reputation in the league

The sight of Anquan Boldin is bittersweet for San Francisco 49ers fans. On the one hand, he played a vital role in the first Super Bowl loss in the history of the franchise.

At the same time, however, none will complain if those same playmaking skills are displayed with his new team. Boldin is a guy with an established reputation in the league, his hands and physical style of play ranking among the elite.

With Michael Crabtree set to miss the majority of the season due to a torn Achilles tendon, those same skills that Boldin is renowned for have become even more important to his team. He will now be asked to be the No. 1 option on a Super Bowl contending team.

Now, on the surface level, this is nothing new for him. It’s a role he is very familiar with, having functioned as that with both the Arizona Cardinals (before being bumped to No. 2 by Larry Fitzgerald) and the Baltimore Ravens. Here’s the thing, though. Boldin is no spring chicken anymore.

Now 32 years old and entering his 11th season in the league, Boldin has endured an incomprehensible amount of punishment over the course of his career. That is the price he must pay to maintain his reputation as the toughest, most physical receiver in the league.

The inevitable question must then be asked: How much longer can he continue to play his style of game before the rigors of the NFL finally takes its toll? Well, when looking at the numbers, the answer might be sooner than what 49er fans might want to hear.

While he was the No. 1 option with Baltimore by title, the numbers don’t quite add up to that billing. In his three years with the team, not once did he crack the 1,000-yard benchmark, 921 last season serving as his highest total.

The touchdowns have diminished over the years as well. While he caught a respectable seven in his first year with the team, 2010, the last two seasons have brought three and four, respectively. Not quite what you would expect from your No. 1 option.

Many would argue that the Ravens had a dominant running back, Ray Rice, taking the bulk of the offense. That was more myth than reality last season. Rice carried the football 257 times last season, leaving him tied with Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams (now the Atlanta Falcons) for 13th in the league.

In comparison, Joe Flacco, his former quarterback, threw the ball 531 times, 317 of which were completed. Those numbers left him at 14th and 15th, respectively, in the league. That’s about as balanced an offense as you can get.

So who is Anquan Boldin? What will his role on this 49ers team be? Is he still capable of being the focal point of a teams passing game?

While I will never claim to be Nostradamus, I will offer my insight as to what I think the 49ers and their fans will receive from Boldin.

While Crabtree now appears to be the Boldin of old reincarnated, Boldin himself is not who he used to be. It’s not like his magnificent skills are gone. I still expect him to catch anything that hits his hands and break a great many of tackles.

I also, however, don’t expect him to be as open as much as he used to. Age and wear and tear does that to a player.

Football is a young man's game, and Boldin is no longer a young man. He’s lost a step. A small step, but a step nonetheless. And for a player like Boldin, that small step is the difference between being great and simply being good.

What I’m saying is that expectations should be tempered. 49er fans are thrilled that they’re getting the Boldin that they remember on their team. But the Boldin that they remember might not be there anymore.

He will be a consistent, steadying force for the offense. But he also is no longer the indestructible force that he once was. The statistics speak for themselves.

The Boldin that Ravens fans were treated to is most likely whom the 49er fans will get as well. About 800-900 yards and five or six touchdowns seems like a safe benchmark at this point in his career.

And for a player who has gone through the most extreme of NFL gauntlets over the course of his career, not much more should be expected. The same qualities that made him a dominant receiver with the Cardinals are what has made him who he now is: a very good No. 2 receiver.

Fans were expecting big things out of Crabtree and for Boldin to be the perfect compliment to the great things he would do. When Crabtree went down, the expectations for what Boldin would bring went up as a result. At this point in his career, those expectations are just not fair, and honestly, not likely.

A 32-year-old Boldin is not a 25-year-old Crabtree. As similar as their games may be, one was hitting the pinnacle of his career and the other is in the twilight of his.

Boldin has taken far more punishment than your average 32-year-old receiver. Expect the stats to reflect that.

Fortunately for the 49ers, they don’t need him to be great. Arguably the most talented roster in the NFL, they simply need him to be good. And that is exactly what he will be. For a man who has given as much as he has to the NFL, that will be good enough.

-- This article from: bleacherreport.com

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The Vikings announced signing of Bishop to a one-year contract

The Minnesota Vikings emerged from the first phase of free agency and then the draft, still missing a starting linebacker.

Then the Green Bay Packers let Desmond Bishop go, and the solution seemed so obvious.

The Vikings announced Thursday the signing of Bishop to a one-year contract, three days after he agreed to terms on his deal. He's the latest to leave Green Bay for Minnesota, joining prominent players like wide receiver Greg Jennings, safety Darren Sharper, kicker Ryan Longwell and of course quarterback Brett Favre to recently switch states in the post-prime stage of their careers.

This back-and-forth has further spiced up the rivalry, particularly between the ardent followers of each team, with Vikings fans gloating about all the success Favre, Sharper and Longwell enjoyed in Minnesota and Packers backers criticizing the Vikings for pursuing so many of Green Bay's aging castoffs.

Even lesser-known guys like Robert Ferguson, Javon Walker and Mike Montgomery have put on purple after discarding their green-and-gold jerseys over the past decade. The Vikings also offered contracts to William Henderson and James Jones and in 2005 tried to sign restricted free agent Aaron Kampman, the best pass-rusher the Packers had at the time. Green Bay kept all of them.

Bishop became available when the Packers released him just two weeks ago. He thrived during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, playing one of the inside linebacker spots in Green Bay's 3-4 defense. In 2011, he had career highs in tackles (142) and sacks (five). But Bishop tore his right hamstring during an exhibition game and couldn't play at all in 2012.

The injury required more than six months of rehabilitation before he was able to run full speed again.

Now?

``One-hundred percent and ready to go,'' Bishop said.

The seventh-year veteran, however, said he's not worried about being rusty this season.

``After watching a guy by the name of Adrian Peterson come back from his torn ACL and how well he did, I have an extreme amount of confidence that I can do the same,'' Bishop said on a conference call with Minnesota reporters. He added: ``It's still a process. You have to still build on your strength and your endurance and all those kind of little things and you can never max out on that stuff, so I'm still to this day working on trying to get as strong as I can and I feel really good.''

Bishop said his motivation to join Minnesota was based on helping a 2012 playoff team try to go even further this season, not revenge on his ex-employer. After brushing off the significance of playing against Green Bay, the team that drafted him in the sixth round in 2007, Bishop eventually acknowledged the excitement of returning to Lambeau Field to face all those former teammates of his.

And to try to stop one of the NFL's most potent offenses.

``I'm just a very competitive person, and Aaron Rodgers is considered the best in my eyes at quarterback, so it'll be a good opportunity,'' Bishop said.

In addition to Bishop's health, the other yet-to-be-answered question is which position he'll actually play. The Vikings use a 4-3 alignment, so the middle linebacker spot isn't exactly the same as playing on the inside in the 3-4 scheme. Chad Greenway is the starter at the strong side, and Erin Henderson was the starter at the weak side spot the last two years. Henderson could stay there, with Bishop taking the middle, or they could flip-flop.

``I'm not really worried about that. Wherever they put me. Whatever the coaching staff sees me fit, that's where I'll play,'' Bishop said, adding: ``I've pretty much played all three positions at one time in my football career.''

To make room for Bishop on the 90-man roster they'll take to training camp, the Vikings released linebacker Stanford Keglar.

The Vikings also publicized Thursday their practice schedule for camp, which the Vikings report to on July 25. They'll have 15 days of open-to-the-public workouts at Minnesota State University in Mankato, with a walk-through in the morning and a full practice in the afternoon. The last day of on-field work there is Aug. 14.

-- This article from: thescore.com

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Mellette will be part of competition at wide receiver along with the other young

Aaron Mellette has mostly gone under the radar in the much-discussed wide receiver position battle.

Players like Tandon Doss, Deonte Thompson, LaQuan Williams, David Reed and Tommy Streeter have attracted most of the attention during the offseason.

But where does the rookie out of Elon see himself fitting in when he returns for training camp next month?

“I know when training camp comes it’s going to be another mindset [from learning in the offseason], where I’m going to be out there looking to dominate every day and be more confident in what I’m doing,” Mellette said at the conclusion of rookie football school.

Mellette did dominate the small school level at Elon, a Football Championship Subdivision school. He reeled in 97 catches for 1,398 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns last year, and he had 30 receptions over the last two seasons. Mellette ranked second in the country with an average of 127 receiving yards per game.

Now it’s a big leap to the professional game, but the 6-foot-2 receiver has the size and potential to make that jump. And a strong start in training camp will go a long way to giving Mellette the opportunity to prove he deserves a chance to get on the field.

He will be part of competition at wide receiver along with the other young, unproven receivers who are also competing to earn playing time behind Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones.

“All of those guys are battling for that second, third and fourth spot, and it’s all real close,” Wide Receivers Coach Jim Hostler said.

Mellette’s focus since getting drafted in the seventh round has been to learn as much as possible from players like Smith and Jones. He’s been a sponge around his teammates, trying to pick up the playbook, the offense and make the overall adjustment to life in the NFL.

Now he’s intent on standing out from the pack.

The Ravens have had young receivers stand out and earn roster spots with impressive training camp performances each of the last two years. Thompson and Williams were both undrafted players who earned their way onto the team with strong camps, and Mellette hopes to put forth a similar showing.

Smith is the only player entrenched in the starting lineup, but a strong performance from any of the others during training camp and the preseason could move them up the depth chart. Mellette was working behind most of the other young receivers in the rotation during offseason practices, but he was still working to master the playbook.

“It’s going to be a transition, like anything,” Mellette said. “You’re going to be lined up against veteran DBs who know what you’re doing before you even do it, but you just got to do what you’ve been practicing. Hopefully I’ll adjust fast and quickly, and be able to transition and show bright spots."

-- This article from: baltimoreravens.com

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Bengals shouldn't have much issue putting pressure on Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco

Much has been said this offseason about the demise of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens while the Cincinnati Bengals have enjoyed nothing but positive press as the team on the rise in the AFC North.

The downfall of the Ravens has been extremely over-exaggerated.

Baltimore lost Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. That's a valid thing to point out when analyzing the offseason for Baltimore. The problem is, Lewis was a liability on the field, and one opposing teams were quick to expose in the passing game.

The same goes for Reed, now a member of the Houston Texans. Reed was good for a big play every now and then but would oft times show his age in coverage and fragility in run support.

There's something to be said for the leadership qualities Reed and Lewis brought to the table, but many are acting as if great leaders such as Haloti Ngata and Ray Rice are gone as well.

Despite what many may lead you to believe, the Ravens had a great offseason. Reed has been replaced by Michael Huff and a first-round rookie in the form of Matt Elam. Expect the same quality of play from the safety position as last season, if not better.

The heart of the defense was neutered with the loss of Lewis and Dannelle Ellerbe, but a promising rookie in Arthur Brown will man the middle with a more athletic presence.

Much has also been said about the loss of outside linebacker Paul Kruger to the rival Cleveland Browns, but he played his best only when Terrelle Suggs was on the field. For whatever reason, the acquisition of one of the NFL's best pass-rushers in Elvis Dumervil has been getting swept under the rug as well.

Did we mention Lardarius Webb is set to return from injury? Webb gave Darrelle Revis a serious run for his money as the best corner in the league before going down with a season-ending injury last year.

If you couldn't tell, defense is why the Ravens won't skip a beat in 2013.

All of this equates to serious issues for the Bengals in the two matchups against Baltimore.

For one, the young Bengals have yet to prove they can get it done consistently in high-pressure games. Every game against Baltimore means something.

Two, the offense could struggle against the Baltimore defense, even if it doesn't have familiar faces. There won't be a slower middle linebacker to exploit anymore. No cornerback to exploit for Andy Dalton when he tosses it up to A.J. Green. Instead, Green will have to battle an elite corner in Webb.

Defensively the Bengals shouldn't have much issue putting pressure on Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco. Running back Ray Rice is another story as he has always given Cincinnati issues. There are holes at both cornerback and strong safety the Bengals have to answer before going against Baltimore or Flacco could pick the defense apart. Can rookie Shawn Williams have an impact at safety? Can Dre Kirkpatrick stay healthy and perform under the pressure of being thrown at constantly in what essentially amounts to his rookie season?

These questions and more will dictate whether or not the Bengals can win against the Ravens in 2013.

It's unlikely the Bengals are taking the Ravens lightly, but it's worth detailing why fans and media should not. The media can tell plenty of stories as ridiculous as Tim Tebow being a starting quarterback.

Cincinnati may be the talk of the town in the AFC North after back-to-back playoff appearances and multiple exceptional drafts, but it's Baltimore that went out and won a Super Bowl.

The Bengals still have plenty to learn from the Ravens.

-- This article from: sports.yahoo.com

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Chip Kelly's Slap on Wrist from NCAA is No Concern for Eagles

Chip Kelly was found to be guilty of a failure to monitor the Oregon Ducks football program by the NCAA and has been slapped with an 18-month show-cause. Fortunately for the Eagles, and Kelly, all of this means practically nothing as far as the NFC East franchise is concerned.

The NCAA hit the University of Oregon with three years of probation and a loss of one scholarship for two years to bring an end to a drawn out investigation process in to recruiting violations, according to the university's public infractions report. Oregon failed to monitor their football program, a charge shared by Kelly as well as others, and allowed improper recruiting services and recruiters to help Oregon's football program recruit talent to their campus. Kelly admitted to his role in the investigation and accepted blame placed upon him during the process.

The show-cause penalty in college athletics ensures any coach who left a program before sanctions were issued will still pay repercussions in the event they attempt to return to coaching at the collegiate level. Any school that would hire a coach with a show-cause penalty would likely serve some form of sanctions comparable with the original sanctions on the coach's former school. This prevents coaches from skipping out on a university before sanctions are issued and immediately continuing coaching elsewhere at the collegiate level.

Instead, Kelly was hired by the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and is basically free from penalty of the NCAA. Before Kelly joined the Eagles, Pete Carroll left USC for the Seattle Seahawks under similar circumstances and Jim Tressel had joined the Indianapolis Colts as Ohio State was being investigated (Tressel was fired by Ohio State). It is unlikely NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would feel a need to address the situation regarding Kelly any further.

The 18-month show-cause will expire in December of 2014, during which time Kelly will be the head coach in Philadelphia. This prevents any Bobby Petrino sort of situation, in which Kelly would attempt to return to the college game after the 2013 season. Petrino coached less than a full season with the Atlanta Falcons before returning to the college game to coach Arkansas. If the next two seasons fail to develop with Kelly in charge of the Eagles though, Kelly could hypothetically return to the college game after two years the way Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier had done previously.

Ultimately this means absolutely nothing for the Eagles for now. Kelly can continue to coach the Eagles without issue. Kelly and Oregon essentially get off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist moving forward. Win the day, indeed.

-- This article from: sports.yahoo.com

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Robinson doesn't seem like a guy with a big ego

At least one person was listening when Bengals cornerback Adam Jones spoke this week at the NFL's Rookie Symposium, and that person would be New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith.

Smith said Jones' speech resonated with him because of Pacman's past run-ins with the law that include an early June arrest for assaulting a woman.

"He's using his past trials and tribulations to help us as rookies. You can see how those decisions will affect him," Smith said, via the News-Herald (Ohio). "It will affect all of us if we follow down that same path. It does resonate more because he's a guy who had a tremendous amount of talent and high expectations, but he let some bad decisions affect him on and off the field."

Jones' speech at the rookie symposium wasn't the first time Smith had heard Jones speak. Both players went to West Virginia, and the two have talked often.

"He's a West Virginia guy, so I've had many conversations with him," Smith said. "He's always been a guy who preached don't make the same mistakes he's done. He's made a lot of mistakes in his career, but he's still standing strong and working hard."

Jones was at the symposium to speak during a seminar entitled, "Are you bigger than the game?" Jones has become somewhat of a regular on the rookie symposium speaking circuit; he also gave a speech in 2012.

Before April's NFL Draft, former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was asked what position he wanted to play in the NFL.

"Whatever it takes to get on the field," Robinson said then. "I'm an offensive weapon."

Robinson apparently has convinced the Jaguars that he actually is an "offensive weapon" because that's his official position on the team roster. As you can see in the photo at the top of the page, Robinson's position isn't listed as QB, WR, or RB -- all positions that he played in college -- it's simply listed as OW. Offensive weapon.

Robinson doesn't seem like a guy with a big ego, but his ego has to at least be a little bit bigger after an NFL team just invented a position designation for him. Next thing you know, the Jaguars will be inventing numbers for him.

So, how does one earn the offensive weapon designation? By playing a lot of positions in college.

In 37 games at Michigan, Robinson started 35 at quarterback and two at running back, including a 42-17 November 2012 win over Iowa in which he rushed for 98 yards on 13 carries.

Robinson's 4,495 career rushing yards is an NCAA record for a quarterback and ninth most in Big Ten history for any player, including running backs. Robinson was also the first player in NCAA history to pass for 2,500 yards and rush for more than 1,500 yards in a single season.

So, where will the Jaguar offensive weapon spend most of his time this season?

"I am in the running back meeting room, so that's where I'm going to continue to make my plays and just be an offensive weapon -- go to receiver, or go to quarterback, or go to running back and make plays happen," Robinson said.

So, basically, Robinson is going to be a go-to everything.

-- This article from: cbssports.com

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Helu Jr. said he is unconcerned with the depth chart

As a rookie in 2011, Roy Helu Jr. was the Redskins’ most productive running back, piling up 1,019 yards on 200 touches.

He had the vision to find the hole and the speed to break the big play. He tallied three-straight 100-yard games and tied the franchise record for receptions in a game (14) with the great Art Monk.

But the pressure of keying a lethargic offense brought on physical and psychological stress. When leg injuries were slow to heal heading into the 2012 season, Helu Jr. admits that he lost perspective on how to enjoy his craft.

“I was capable and able to have fun, but I didn’t,” he said. “Being on the outside looking in, I was tenser and it showed on the field.”

Helu Jr. was never fully healthy last year, and was placed on season-ending injured reserve following the Week 3 loss to Cincinnati, having appeared in just one game.

His tight leg muscles combined with the team’s success without him made him wonder if he would ever return to form on the football field.

“I absolutely had doubt, and I had to actively participate and not feel sorry for myself,” he said. “There were good days, bad days, over the nine month period [of rehab].”

Helu Jr. attributed his series of leg injuries in the NFL to tight muscles in his lower body.

Following a regimen known as dry needling, he was able to release some of the tension known as trigger points, which in turn relaxed and strengthened his muscles.

“I’ve seen great results from that,” he said. “I still have time to recover over these next few weeks. I still need more motion in the toe, but to be out there doing my job is fun.”

During OTAs and minicamp, Helu Jr. practiced with teammates for the first time since September and said that he felt physically and psychologically refreshed.

“I feel good. I feel I’ve gotten to the point that I can compete at a high level, and I’m thankful for that,” he said. “I’m out there running a lot of plays without pain. I guess that’s the best measurement.”

He also credited faith and family for helping him find perspective during the rehab process.

“It’s just a unique perspective of the cerebral part of the game and seeing what our coach wants,” he explained. “When I came back, God gave me a prospective. I just decided it’s time for me to give it a go, and have fun with it. It’s been a blast.

“I decided I’m just going to have fun with football, compete and become one with my teammates. It’s truly about going out there and competing and having fun.”

Roy Helu Jr. returns to a backfield competition that includes incumbent starter Alfred Morris, the franchise record-holder for yards in a season, fellow third-year back Evan Royster, and a pair of rookie running backs in Jawan Jamison and Chris Thompson.

Although Helu Jr. was the starter before injury, he said he is unconcerned with the depth chart; only proving that he can help the Redskins win.

The ability to compete is reward enough at this point.

“I’m competing to make the team and competing to the best of my ability. That is more of my mindset rather than competing for a specific job,” he said. “I’ve been competing in football for so long, that you get used to the competitiveness.”

Even though the offense underwent a facelift last season, Helu Jr. said there is no change in his responsibilities as far as pass protection is concerned: just protect the quarterback at all costs.

There was a slight learning curve in picking up the rest of the playbook, but Helu Jr. is confident that it will be second nature by training camp.

“When I first got out there, I wasn’t as sharp. We were so close as a [running back] group that we could finish each other’s sentences, but now I’m behind.

“Some stuff I had to recall. It was a learning experience, being slow mentally. But I will be ready.”

Heading into the final month before training camp, Roy Helu Jr. said he is excited to fortify his mind and body, putting him in position for his best training camp yet.

To aid in this process, he intends to return to the University of Nebraska and work out with fellow Cornhuskers for the first time as a member of the Redskins.

“Last year I didn’t get a chance to do that and it will be nice to change scenery,” he said with a smile. “I can improve the flexibility in my toe and continue to train hard.

“This is a big moment going into the offseason and recovering.”

-- This article from: redskins.com

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