Note: This is a team-by-team look previewing the 2007 season. These are my official thoughts on how I think things will play out.
Last year: 4-12 (fourth in NFC South)
Best addition: Cato June (LB, Colts)
Key personnel loss: Kenyatta Walker (OL, FA)
2007 outlook: Last year the Bucs got really old really fast, so they are hoping an infusion of youth will help them get back to the Super Bowl. While they still have some major QB issues, Tampa Bay does have solid skill position players including Cadillac Williams and Joey Galloway but even they need to rebound from bad years.
Defensively the situation doesn't appear to be much better but adding to June to the LB corp should at least be a boost to that unit. The secondary is also in decent shape while rookie Gaines Adams is the lone guy with potential on an aging line that recently let go of Simeon Rice.
Key to success: The Bucs are going to need a lot of help, and a lot of career years from a lot of players, to even think about making the playoffs. Jon Gruden appears to be on a short leash and unless he gets some help, he may find himself looking for another job at the end of the year.
Against Washington: The Skins will make the trip to sunny Florida to face the Bucs on Nov. 25. Washington has had some success against the Bucs of late and hopefully they can continue that success this year as the Skins try to make the playoffs.
Fantasy sleeper: Maurice Stovall. Another young WR that will be relied on heavily to help out a sluggish offense, Stovall is built in the mold of Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. This would bode really well for Tampa Bay if it had a QB but Stovall should still flourish anyway. Anyone desperate for WR should look at Stovall on the waiver wire, if not in the last round or two.
Showing posts with label Cato June. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cato June. Show all posts
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
2007 Previews: Indianapolis Colts
Note: This is a team-by-team look previewing the 2007 season. These are my official thoughts on how I think things will play out.
Last year: 12-4 (Super Bowl champs)
Best addition: Anthony Gonzalez (WR, 1st round draft pick out of Ohio State)
Key personnel losses: Mike Doss (S, Vikings) and Cato June (LB, Buccaneers)
2007 outlook: With the proverbial monkey finally off the backs of Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy, what will the Colts do for an encore? Well, when the only impact pickup in the offseason is another weapon for Manning, Colts fans have to be thinking about a repeat. And they have no reason to think otherwise, at least as far as the offense is concerned.
Defensively however, this will be a brand new team - which may not be a bad thing given the Colts previous shortcomings in this area. Gone are leaders like June and Doss but it was apparent that Bob Sanders was really the glue that held that unit together as they markedly improved when he came back from injury and the Colts always seem to have another LB ready when a top flight one departs. And with Dungy's penchant for building defenses, it seems to not matter who is back there, they will be good enough to keep their offense from being outscored.
Key to success: All eyes will be on 2nd year RB Joseph Addai and how he takes to the role of being the sole back. He was drafted last year to replace the departed Edgerrin James and between him and the recently departed Dominic Rhodes they actually did what James could not and get to a Super Bowl. But now Addai has to go it alone and while it may be unreasonable to expect the Colts to repeat, if they do it will be because Addai was more than adequate at replacing both James and Rhodes.
Against Washington: The Skins probably should have beaten the Colts last year given the position they were in at halftime and the beating they had dished out to Manning but Indy came to life in the second half and beat Washington 36-22. The two teams do not meet this season.
Fantasy sleeper: Ben Utecht. While Dallas Clark gets most of the pass catching responsibilities in this offense, Utecht is actually in the same role Clark was when Marcus Pollard was still in Indy. Utecht has the ability to catch and get open and with defenses focusing more on Clark, he should be able to find ways to contribute in the two-TE sets Indy runs. With TE always being a position of peaks and valleys, Utecht may prove to be better than most of the regular starters in the league.
Last year: 12-4 (Super Bowl champs)
Best addition: Anthony Gonzalez (WR, 1st round draft pick out of Ohio State)
Key personnel losses: Mike Doss (S, Vikings) and Cato June (LB, Buccaneers)
2007 outlook: With the proverbial monkey finally off the backs of Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy, what will the Colts do for an encore? Well, when the only impact pickup in the offseason is another weapon for Manning, Colts fans have to be thinking about a repeat. And they have no reason to think otherwise, at least as far as the offense is concerned.
Defensively however, this will be a brand new team - which may not be a bad thing given the Colts previous shortcomings in this area. Gone are leaders like June and Doss but it was apparent that Bob Sanders was really the glue that held that unit together as they markedly improved when he came back from injury and the Colts always seem to have another LB ready when a top flight one departs. And with Dungy's penchant for building defenses, it seems to not matter who is back there, they will be good enough to keep their offense from being outscored.
Key to success: All eyes will be on 2nd year RB Joseph Addai and how he takes to the role of being the sole back. He was drafted last year to replace the departed Edgerrin James and between him and the recently departed Dominic Rhodes they actually did what James could not and get to a Super Bowl. But now Addai has to go it alone and while it may be unreasonable to expect the Colts to repeat, if they do it will be because Addai was more than adequate at replacing both James and Rhodes.
Against Washington: The Skins probably should have beaten the Colts last year given the position they were in at halftime and the beating they had dished out to Manning but Indy came to life in the second half and beat Washington 36-22. The two teams do not meet this season.
Fantasy sleeper: Ben Utecht. While Dallas Clark gets most of the pass catching responsibilities in this offense, Utecht is actually in the same role Clark was when Marcus Pollard was still in Indy. Utecht has the ability to catch and get open and with defenses focusing more on Clark, he should be able to find ways to contribute in the two-TE sets Indy runs. With TE always being a position of peaks and valleys, Utecht may prove to be better than most of the regular starters in the league.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
