Associated Press
From around the NFL…
CHARLOTTE ó Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney insists heís still undecided and his phone isnít ringing as he prepares to use the top pick in next weekís NFL draft.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday night, Hurney was quick to praise Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, but stressed theyíve made no final decision and havenít received an offer from another team to move up to No. 1.
ěIf the draft was tomorrow we could go ahead and make decisions,î Hurney said, ěbut we have a week left and weíre going to continue to refine those decisions.î
Newton has become the popular choice for Carolina in various mock drafts. The 6-foot-5 Newton took college football by storm in his only season as a starter in 2010 when he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Tigers to the national championship.
But there are numerous questions about his character stemming from a 2008 arrest after buying a stolen computer and the NCAA investigation into allegations his father solicited money during his recruitment.
Others have questioned Newtonís work ethic and his ability to adapt to a more complicated pro-style offense.
ěObviously, like the rest of the players that are at the top of the board, weíve spent a lot of time with Cam. Itís been a very good experience,î Hurney said. ěI think heís a very talented player that is extremely competitive. I think being successful in the NFL is very important to him.î
The Panthers desperately need help on offense after managing 16 touchdowns in a miserable 2-14 season in 2010. But the Panthers also need reinforcements on the defensive line, which could make Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus a safer option with the top pick.
Another scenario, especially with Carolina being without a second-round pick, would be to move down in the draft and obtain extra picks. Hurney said heís yet to receive any offers.
ěNext week is usually when people start calling around,î Hurney said.
Hurney, who said theyíve completed all individual meetings with draft prospects, was vague on whether heíd accept an offer to move down.
He also laughed off a direct question on who theyíll take No. 1.
ěWeíve got a week. Who knows?î Hurney said. ěAt the end of the day, you just want to make the right selection.î
STAFFORDíS RECOVERY
ALLEN PARK, Mich.ó Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew says Matthew Staffordís recovery from surgery on his right, throwing shoulder is going well.
Mayhew said Thursday the team received good reports from Staffordís showing at a charity event that was part of Georgiaís spring game last week. Stafford threw passes through a tire in a competition against other former Bulldogs and had a 50-yard pass dropped by a fan.
The Lions can receive reports on Staffordís progress, but arenít permitted to make contact with him during the lockout.
Stafford played in just three games last season and 10 games as a rookie the previous year. He is 3-9 in the NFL and his .250 winning percentage ranks as the worst among quarterbacks drafted No. 1 overall.
JACKSON READY
ALAMEDA, Calif. ó Hue Jackson has hired a staff, talked strategy and philosophy with his new assistants, put together a playbook and promoted the Oakland Raiders in the community as he prepares for his first season as a head coach in the NFL.
The only thing Jackson hasnít been able to do as of yet is what he does best, coach a football team. Like 31 other coaches in the league, Jacksonís job is on hold as the NFL has locked out its players in a labor dispute.
ěI want to get to what I truly get paid to do, which is coaching football, as soon as I can,î Jackson said Thursday.
But instead of installing his playbook, getting to know his new players and running offseason workouts, Jackson is left to prepare for next weekís draft and wait for a resolution to the lockout.
The Raiders may have to wait longer than any other team to pick, having traded their first-round pick to New England before the 2009 season for Richard Seymour. Oakland is pleased with the results of that deal as Seymour has become a leader on defense and was picked for the Pro Bowl last season.
The Raiders have had a first-round pick every year since 1989, although they had to deal back into the round in 2005 to take Fabian Washington 23rd overall after trading the seventh pick to Minnesota in a package for Randy Moss.
Jackson did not rule out dealing into the round one again, saying the team would not ěleave any stone unturned.î It could be more difficult this season with the lockout because teams can only trade picks ó not players ó during the draft.
The lockout has made much of the offseason difficult as teams head into the draft not knowing which potential free agents they will lose or sign and which players they could potentially acquire in a trade.
That could make it more difficult to decide what the biggest needs are.
ěWeíre all in the same boat,î Jackson said. ěWe wish we werenít, but we are, and weíll all deal with it accordingly. You wish you knew exactly what you have and didnít have. Obviously, we all do. You canít worry about it. You have to continue to press on, go forward and make the decisions that you know you need to make.î
The Raiders do have one advantage, with owner Al Davis having signed some key potential free agents to contracts before the lockout started last month, including Seymour, cornerback Stanford Routt, linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, defensive tackle John Henderson, backup running back Rock Cartwright, safety Hiram Eugene and backup quarterback Kyle Boller.
Even if Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and starting free safety Michael Huff leave as free agents, the Raiders have most of their defense back for next season, as well as almost all of their skilled position players on offense.
ěWe have a defensive football team that can hit the ground running,î Jackson said. ěA very talented defensive football team that I feel very comfortable putting out on the field and playing with.î
The defense will be working under a new coordinator as Chuck Bresnahan was hired to replace John Marshall. Jackson has spent lots of time working with Bresnahan, new offensive coordinator Al Saunders and returning special teams coordinator John Fassel.
The lockout has given him more time than usual to talk philosophy with his coordinators so things will go more smoothly once the players return.
But Jackson acknowledges it might be harder to implement all the changes he wants with less offseason time with his players.
He has already put in place contingency plans for what he would do if training camp is shortened if the lockout continues into the summer.
ěWeíre going to go do what we need to do. Now, can we do it on a wide scale? No. Probably not,î he said. ěBut there will be changes. There has to be. This is now going to be my imprint on this football team. Weíll come in here and weíll be a different group, and I think our players know that, and I think our organization knows that and I think our fans know that. Our expectationís different. We expect to win, and I think we will.î
Jackson also said he was concerned about three offseason arrests for his players. Running back Michael Bush was charged with driving under the influence in Indiana in February; offensive lineman Mario Henderson was charged in March with carrying a concealed firearm without a permit in Florida; and receiver Louis Murphy was arrested earlier this month in Florida for possession of Viagra without a valid prescription, failure to obey an officer, and nonviolent resisting arrest.
ěIím very disappointed about it,î Jackson said. ěItís not very Raider like, but obviously thereís nothing I can do about it. The rules wonít let me talk to those particular players or anything. But I am disappointed. Iím sure when weíre allowed to address it we will.î
The Associated Press
04/21/11 19:58