Compiled by Arthur Arkush
May 22, 2008

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Cardinals QB Matt Leinart has been working hard this offseason to improve his footwork and throwing technique, as quoted by The Associated Press: "I'm more precise in my decisions. The ball's coming out faster, which means I know where I'm going with it. My footwork's been a lot better. I've just got to keep improving, keep studying and keep getting better, and just keep helping this team any way I can. I feel a lot stronger than I ever have. And mentally, I'm more focused, and in year two in this system, understanding what we're trying to do as an offense. Now it's just going out there on the field and executing it."

Bears RB Cedric Benson, quoted by The Associated Press regarding the arrest that took place in Texas for suspicion of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest: “It would be nice to have it gone and get it cleared up and over with, but you know, I don’t really spend too much time thinking about it at all. I’m sticking to my story and the truth will come out, sometime, whether it be now or a year from now or whenever.” Benson continued by saying his teammates have been very supportive of him for the last year now: “It wasn’t just over the last couple weeks, I think they took me in a while back, last year. Speaking on this situation and the things they’ve had to say about it have been really great. They’ve been very supportive from that fact.”

Bengals LB Dhani Jones, excited after being named the starter following the release of troubled LB Odell Thurman, as quoted in the Dayton Daily News: "It meant a lot to me that they had the confidence in me that I could do what I did last year, and do more. Some teams always look at a certain age as being a low point. But you don't peak as a man until you turn 30 or older, so I appreciate the confidence, and I admire the Bengals … and I thank them."

Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, quoted on KansasCity.com about the high expectations for his team entering the 2008 season: “It beats the alternative. For a while around here it wasn’t very exciting, and expectations were very low. Now they’re high. I think everybody is going to grasp it, take it and run with it. We’re ready to get to work.” Crennel added: “It is a statement that we identified what our needs are and addressed them. Linemen generally take a little time to develop in our system, so if you have a chance to get some proven talent that has been productive in the NFL, we decided to do it.”

Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano, clarifying exactly where the situation stands between his team and star DE Jason Taylor, as quoted in the Miami Herald: “I know that Jason is not going to be at any organized team activities. I know that Jason is not going to be at any minicamps. And I know that right now, Jason is not going to be at training camp. That's what we know. Jason is a player under contract with the Miami Dolphins. He knows that. Both parties are well aware of the information. That's all I'm going to say about it.”

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Cowboys CB Terence Newman, relieved after receiving a contract extension Tuesday so that he can now focus on football, as quoted in the Dallas Morning News: "Sometimes when you don't have a contract going into your last year, you get to thinking about the wrong things. You worry about staying healthy and making plays you don't normally make. The fact that we're done with it, I only have to worry about playing football."

NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw, quoted by The Associated Press on the NFL owners' decision Tuesday to end their labor agreement with the players’ union in 2011: "I don't think it was a shock to anyone. All this means is that we will have football now until 2010 and not until 2012," Upshaw added during a conference call. "We will move ahead. This just starts the clock ticking. If we can't reach agreement by 2010, then we go to no man's land, which is 2011."

Colts QB Peyton Manning is not entirely ready to write off Brett Favre just yet, as quoted in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Like everybody else, I guess we'll see what happens this fall. In a lot of ways I kind of hope (he returns). Brett's a guy that's been such an influence on me and all young quarterbacks. I guess part of it is kind of hope, maybe, that he finds his way back in the NFL this year.” Manning added: "I'm always very sensitive to players retiring. In the NFL, not many guys get to retire as much as they're sort of retired."

Agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents Cowboys RB Marion Barber III, quoted in the Dallas Morning News after locking up a seven-year deal for his client worth $45 million, with $16 million guaranteed: "I gotta credit the Cowboys, they do a great job of getting players signed. Representing Marion's been a pleasure, on and off the field, he's a champ." Rosenhaus went on to say: "We were confident all along, we've always had positive negotiations with the Cowboys. We bridged the gap the last couple days. With the start of OTAs coming, both the Cowboys and us started working hard on it. He'll be there tomorrow, he only missed one day, and he's been doing all the important things. This is a very fair deal for both sides."

Panthers WR Steve Smith, excited about his offseason opportunity, an internship with Morgan Stanley learning financial planning, as quoted in the Charlotte Observer: "I wanted to absorb all I could. My wife (Angie) said it consumed me. I just wanted to feed my appetite for the knowledge of what a financial planner does, not necessarily from the investor's standpoint, but more for the fundamentals of it." Smith added: "It's made me want to learn more. Being an intern at Morgan Stanley and balancing your checkbook, man, there's like four worlds in between."

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Colts RB Joseph Addai can’t explain his production tailing off in the second half last season, as quoted in The Indianapolis Star: "I don't know (why). I really can't say. You just go back and look and learn from that. Each year you challenge yourself and that's probably going to be one of the challenges, to stay consistent the whole year. I didn't really feel banged up."

New Cowboys CB Pacman Jones, quoted in the Dallas Morning News on his excitement to join his new team: "Hopefully I can get around my new teammates and start doing OTAs and working out with them. I still have to go through the process, and I'm just waiting. I'm ready to get in there and learn the defense. And I've been out of the game for a year, so I need to shake off all the rust to get ready to play." Jones continued by saying he’s fully aware this will be his last opportunity in the NFL: "I'm on my last straw, plain and simple. If I mess up, it is what it is. I know that. The group of people around me knows that. Jerry [Cowboys owner Jerry Jones] knows that, and I looked him in his eyes and told him I won't let him down, and that's the main reason I think I'm here."

Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards, planning to take it easy with RB Larry Johnson this offseason, as quoted on kansascity.com: “We’ll bring him along slowly. We’re not going to beat him up. We’re not going to rush him a whole lot. We want to see where he’s at. He’s been running straight and he’s been doing all of that for a long time, but as far as cutting and football things like that, we want to limit him some.”

Rams TE Randy McMichael, quoted in STLtoday.com on his team’s tumultuous 2007 season: "It was a miserable year, not just for me but for the team. It just seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong for us. But you could just tell from the first play (of minicamp) that … the guys are excited to be here." McMichael added: "I just kind of fell into a label as a blocker. No one ever wants to be labeled as anything, but if you're going to labeled as something and you're good at it, I'll take it. I'm picking up some new techniques in blocking with the coaching here, and I'm just trying to help improve the running game and make this team better. But I still practice my routes hard, try to get out there and do what I can in the passing game."

Monday, May 19, 2008

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, quoted in The Boston Globe responding to allegations from former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh, who believes Belichick went to great lengths to conceal their videotaping practices: "For him to talk about game-planning and strategy and play-calling, and how he advised coordinators, it's embarrassing, it's absurd. He didn't have any knowledge of football. He was our third video assistant." Belichick added: "I don't know what his agenda is. Again, he was fired for poor job performance and for audiotaping his superior [vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli]. There's not a lot of credibility."

Former Cowboys FB Daryl Johnston believes Dallas' trade to acquire Pacman Jones was a risk worth taking, as quoted in the Dallas Morning News: "At that time, it was 'Is it worth the risk? Do you really feel like you're a defensive lineman away from winning the Super Bowl?’ With Pacman, it's kind of a different situation with what he can do at the corner position and what options he would open with him in the defense, and his ability as a return man. It's much more tempting than the Tank Johnson deal was, but I think there's a little more risk too." Johnston continued by saying the strong Dallas locker-room chemistry should benefit the deal: "With a DeMarcus Ware, with Bradie James, the guys that are in that locker room hold everybody accountable. And that's a critical element. You can have the best intentions from ownership to coaching staff. But if your players aren't policed in the locker room, then you have potential for something bad to happen."

Bears LB Lance Briggs, quoted on ChicagoSports.com regarding teammate Brian Urlacher’s current contract situation: "There's a difference between not being in minicamp and the first game. The first game is going to hurt [without him]. I definitely don't want to step out on the field without Brian. Briggs added, “Absolutely I'm hopeful [of a resolution]. I want him to be there but I know how things … have to be worked out."

Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin, pleased with the condition of QB JaMarcus Russell (SI.com reported a few months ago that Russell weighed in excess of 300 pounds), as quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle: "It's night and day. The confidence factor out here, the way he feels about his body … he looks completely different. I think it shows his commitment to the team and to the players. They see that. They notice his body being different, he's got great energy about himself and he looks really good."

Dolphins RB Ricky Williams, quoted in the Miami Herald on the relationship he has begun to form with new executive V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells: "[Parcells] was describing the kind of player he wanted. Honestly, I had doubts if I was going to be that type of player. I was expecting him not to talk to me at all. I was expecting to get a letter in the mail saying I was going to be a free agent. I like [Parcells] more than I thought I would. He's really different than I expected. It seems to me his greatest joy is developing true friendships with his players, being a mentor and trying to help people, not just in football but in life."