WED BEAR NEWS- peppers, grant,anderson,manning,taylor,manu,louis

Bears give Grant a chance

Defensive end picked up off scrap heap hopes to make most of shot

By Vaughn McClure, Tribune Reporter
11:50 p.m. CDT, October 5, 2010

All Charles Grant wanted was another chance. The Bears apparently seem willing to give him the opportunity.

The 32-year-old defensive end, a 2002 first-round pick of the Saints, signed a one-year contract with the Bears Tuesday after the UFL's Omaha Nighthawks waived him. The Saints dropped him in March and he spent the preseason with the Dolphins.

The move coincided with the Bears' decision to cut ties with former fifth-round pick Mark Anderson, a standout as a rookie who went without a sack through the first four games.

"It's like a rebirth,'' Grant told the Tribune Tuesday evening. "I've always admired coach Lovie Smith. He loves God, his family and this organization. When a man has those types of priorities in order, you have to respect him.''

Grant believes he now has his priorities straight too.

Two years ago, he was charged with involuntary manslaughter stemming from a February 2008 Georgia bar incident that resulted in a pregnant woman being shot to death. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the involuntary manslaughter charge was dropped after Grant pleaded no contests to misdemeanor "affray" — fighting two or more persons in a public place. Grant was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution, according to the newspaper's report.

Grant was one of seven men charged in the incident.

"I didn't do anything with that case. I was a victim,'' Grant said. "I had never gotten in trouble in my life. … I mean I just got attached to a situation.''

Grant is facing a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned diuretic in the infamous StarCaps case. The possible suspension won't affect him this season, with the final decision for him and other players still pending.

"I don't know what happened with that,'' Grant said. "My lawyer handled all that. The NFL didn't come to an agreement.

"The last two years of my life have been the worst, but I've been pushing through it. One incident I got in and now people want to say I'm a bad guy. The case was I was a guy down there who had money. That was the focus. The focus wasn't on the positive things, like giving camps in your hometown for thousands of kids. The focus is always on the negativity.''

Grant hopes his experience with the Bears will be positive.

The Bears will absorb about $1.4 million of the $1.759 million they owe Anderson this season. After a 12-sack rookie season, Anderson had just 9 1/2 over the last three-plus years. Reached via e-mail, he had no comment on his release.

Grant, who likely signed for near the minimum of $755,000, brings 47 career sacks from his eight seasons with the Saints.

The addition of star defensive end Julius Peppers has injected some life in the pass rush, but Peppers — with two of the team's four sacks — can't do it alone. The 6-foot-3-inch, 282-pound Grant could compete with Israel Idonije for time at left defensive end.

"I tell you what I do bring: There will be no running to the left side,'' Grant said. "I play the run pretty good. And when it comes to the pass rush, you have to be able to do something when you have that man Julius Peppers on the other side. You don't want to look like a fool, so you need to step your game up playing opposite him.''

vxmcclure@tribune.com

Peppers braces for return to Carolina; Cutler's status iffy

by mike mulligan

Jay Cutler's availability for the game Sunday at Carolina overshadows what should have been the top story line: Julius Peppers' return to his home state for a game against his former team. A former NFL general manager raised the issue with an interesting question: Is there any way Cutler would be back Sunday if Peppers were still with the Panthers?

It's a trick question, of course, because if Cutler is going to play he must be able to take a hit from anyone, including -- or, in this case, excluding -- Peppers.

The big defensive end shook his head without hint of a smile when asked if he was Carolina's LeBron James. Maybe the more relevant question is whether he's their Donovan McNabb, who received a standing ovation from the Philadelphia fans Sunday before inevitably hearing the boo-birds when he started having success.

''I don't know how I will be received down there,'' Peppers said. ''It really doesn't make a difference to me because, regardless, you have to play the game. I still have a large fan base down there, I know that. I have people who don't like me, too. ... I don't know which crowd is going to be there.''

The Bears aren't sure that Cutler will be there. One league source predicted he won't be starting because the Bears' doctors won't clear him to play. The logic gets a bit convoluted, but it all goes back to defensive end Gaines Adams, who died in January of cardiac arrest because of an enlarged heart. There's no way the condition could have been diagnosed by the team, but perhaps the experience of losing a player at age 26 has led to a more conservative approach in all medical matters.

The Bears wear a No. 99 decal in honor of Adams and might acknowledge him in another way, too. The source said the Bears red-flagged a whopping 14 players out of the Indianapolis Scouting Combine, including one player who went in the first round. It was a direct reaction to the Adams tragedy. Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer was deemed out for the season because of a concussion instead of being given a few weeks to clear his head.

Every concussion is different

Not surprisingly, the Bears find the theory absurd. A team source said doctors always have been fully committed to player safety and in the forefront of concussion management. A conservative approach is nothing new, and connecting Adams and Cutler is illogical because the medical issues are so different. As for Hillenmeyer, the team insists every player's situation is different regarding concussions.

Research shows one concussion can make a person more susceptible to another, and the severity of injury increases the more you have them. Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins, for instance, recently was ruled out of the MLB playoffs after failing to recover fully from a concussion suffered July 7 when he was kneed in the head on a takeout slide at second base. Morneau suffered at least one severe concussion while playing hockey in his early teens and another when he was beaned in 2005.

Nobody is sure how many concussions Cutler has received, but the Bears knew Hillenmeyer once complained of vertigo that might have been related to concussion. Presumably, they are aware of any other concussions he received as an NFL player because he has spent his entire his eight-year career with the team. The Bears also have a baseline test for every player that is used to measure injury. League guidelines dictate that any player suffering a concussion must pass a neurological examination with a team physician and an independent doctor.

The NFL is a violent sport where the quarterback is hunted prey. Cutler will be targeted and hit as he has been in every game this season. Given the Bears' protection concerns, Cutler likely will be hit multiple times, a fact that isn't supposed to matter in the final evaluation but probably should.

Peppers came to Chicago after Adams passed away, but the Bears insist they would have signed him even if Adams had lived. Ideally, the two would have played opposite each other. Peppers was the best player on the free-agent market, even if he had a reputation for taking plays off, something that hasn't remotely been a problem for him with the Bears. Doubters in Carolina say that is because Peppers has wanted to play well in his debut with the Bears and in nationally televised games against Green Bay and the New York Giants.

Decision to leave was easy

No doubt he'll want to play well against his old team, too, especially if the defense is effectively left to fend for itself without Cutler under center. Peppers said he didn't leave Carolina of his own accord. The Panthers decided to go in another direction and made his decision to leave easy.

''I have moved on,'' he said. ''I am here now, and it's all about this team.''
If it is all about the Bears, then it's all about Cutler. His status might be a headache for everyone involved, including the doctors responsible for clearing him to play.

Bears finally cut ties with Anderson, sign ex-Saints DL Grant

After giving defensive end Mark Anderson multiple chances to rediscover the magic of his 2006 rookie season, when he had 12 sacks, the Bears released him Tuesday and replaced him with Charles Grant.

Anderson, who had 9½ sacks in his last 50 games, is now an unrestricted free agent, and his $1.7 million base salary is guaranteed because he's a vested veteran. Anderson competed this season with Israel Idonije, who switched from tackle to end, and he was credited with eight tackles in four games.

The move appears somewhat curious because the Bears released popular veteran Alex Brown in early April. But they signed Julius Peppers primarily to play right defensive end, meaning Brown would have been a high-priced backup with a base salary of $5 million.

In all likelihood, Brown would have had to take a pay cut to stay on the roster. After shopping him, the Bears decided to release him, and he signed with the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. In four starts, Brown has nine tackles but no sacks.

Grant, who will make the prorated veteran minimum of $760,000, has had a rocky few months. After notching 5½ sacks for the Saints last season, he was released in March and pleaded guilty to a charge of public affray stemming from an incident in February 2008 at a club in Blakely, Ga., where a pregnant woman was shot and killed during an altercation. He paid a $1,000 fine, got a year of probation and was ordered to pay $20,000 for the cost of the investigation by the sheriff's office. Grant still faces a civil suit by the family of the victim.

A spokesman said the NFL will review the case involving the plea under the personal-conduct policy.

Grant also is one of the players who has a four-game suspension pending because of a lawsuit involving Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. The players tested positive for a diuretic banned by the NFL.

Grant, the 25th pick in the 2002 draft, has 47 career sacks and is known more for his pass-rushing prowess than for his run defense. He spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins but was released and signed with the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.

STREAKING

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1. Danieal Manning: Having developed a reputation for questionable decision-making over the first four years of his career, Manning has put together a string of solid performances this season. Manning led the Bears with 11 tackles against the Giants, including eight solo stops. On special teams, Manning averages 24.4 yards per kickoff return, which ranks 21st in the NFL. Manning still needs to make more of an impact against the pass. But it’s refreshing to see Manning play relatively error-free in that area, while making significant contributions on special teams and against the run.


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2. Julius Peppers: Peppers deserves some of the credit for the swagger permeating Chicago’s defense. Peppers forced his second fumble of the season on Sunday, when he knocked the ball out of quarterback Eli Manning’s hands, in addition to scoring his second sack of the year. Opponents continue to struggle at containing Peppers, which frees up teammates such as Israel Idonije, who recorded his first sack of the year against the Giants. Peppers was officially credited Sunday with two quarterback hits, and a pass breakup. Yet he still hasn’t produced what you’d call a signature game, which we believe comes on Sunday when Peppers lines up against the Panthers, team that originally drafted him.


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3. Chester Taylor: Too bad Taylor isn’t used more, because when the team remembers to call his number, the running back produces for the most part. Taylor touched the ball just three times against the Giants -- all runs -- and averaged 7.3 yards per attempt. Although Chicago considers Matt Forte to be the lead back, it should consider increasing Taylor’s involvement, given his ability (especially in pass protection) and the team’s financial commitment to him. The Bears have shown a few formations that feature both Forte and Taylor in the backfield. But they’ve utilized them sparingly. That needs to change.

SLUMPING

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1. Offensive line: Center Olin Kreutz took a no-excuses outlook on Sunday’s disaster, which is the right way to look at things. The rest of the offensive line needs to do the same if it expects to bounce back from allowing an NFL-record nine sacks in just one half against the Giants. The absence of left tackle Chris Williams appears to be taking a major toll on the cohesiveness of this unit (partially because of all the shuffling the team has done), which has been further depleted due to injuries to guards Roberto Garza and Lance Louis. Kevin Shaffer, J’Marcus Webb and Frank Omiyale have filled in admirably at tackle, but the club needs to return the offensive line to its original state. Enough with the experiments.


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2. Mike Martz: The club’s new media policy doesn’t allow assistants to speak after games, which seemed especially convenient after the Bears’ loss to the Giants. Of the team’s 27 first-half plays on offense, Martz called passes on 20 of them, which seems to fly in the face of Lovie Smith’s stated run-first philosophy. The Bears passed on 11 of their 15 snaps in the second quarter and, coincidentally, Jay Cutler was sacked on seven of those plays. Given all the punishment Cutler was taking, was it impossible for Martz to adjust the playcalling to compensate, which in turn, could possibly have kept the quarterback in the game?


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3. Brandon Manumaleuna: The Bears paid Manumaleuna, a blocking tight end, more than $6 million guaranteed to use him essentially as a sixth offensive lineman. So far things haven’t panned out, and his shaky blocking performance against the Giants highlights a rocky start by Manumaleuna, which includes offseason knee surgery that led to him playing in less than half the offensive snaps leading into Sunday’s game, in addition to a $22,000 fine for missing meetings. The Giants used just four rushers Sunday to rack up most of their sacks (eight) against five Bears offensive linemen. Manumaleuna was supposed to be the sixth protector on a couple of those plays, and defenders routinely blew past him with little resistance.

Podcast: Schefter talks Anderson, Grant

October, 5, 2010 Oct 5
2:49
PM CT



ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter joined "The Afternoon Saloon" to talk about the Bears releasing Mark Anderson and signing Charles Grant.

Click here to listen http://assets.espn.go.com/icons/listen.png

think panthers down to 2 rook's and 1 vet at WR:

The Carolina Panthers released receiver Dwayne Jarrett, who was arrested Tuesday morning for driving while impaired. Before anyone asks if Jarrett is a possibility to help fortify the Vikings' receiving corps, remember that the team passed on its opportunity to draft Jarrett in the second round of the 2007 draft. Instead, the Vikings drafted Sidney Rice. The Vikings had a much lower grade on Jarrett, and I don't think anything has happened since then to change their feelings.

And he Vikes are close to trading for Randy Moss

panthers sign one of my fav names..lol


Panthers claim WR David Clowney off waivers

He'll replace Dwayne Jarrett

The Carolina Panthers acted quickly in finding a replacement for Dwayne Jarrett.

They have claimed wide receiver David Clowney off waivers from the New York Jets. Clowney is a solid special teams player who got plenty of attention on the HBO show “Hard Knocks” over the summer.

“We had a chance to pick up off waivers a receiver we considered claiming when he became available four weeks ago," Hurney said in a statement released by the team. "We wish Dwayne the best. I talked to Dwayne and told him the situation here is just not working out for either side."

panther view:

3rd down becomes tripping point for Panthers

Team's offensive weaknesses could worsen if Steve Smith can't play this weekend in game against Chicago.

Carolina players say the Panthers don't have a third-down problem, and they're right.

The offense's problems often begin on the first two plays of the drive.

The results are too many third-and-long situations for a young offense led by a rookie quarterback who is exposed to a more aggressive pass rush and helmet-banging hits when the defense knows what's coming.
"Third-and-long in this league, it's a hard down. That's a defensive coordinator's dream is third-and-long," Panthers tight end Jeff King said. "You can get any gamut of defenses, any gamut of blitzes."

The Panthers (0-4) rank 24th in the NFL in third-down efficiency, converting 33.9 percent of their chances. The league average is a 38.7 success rate on third down. Chicago (3-1), the Panthers' opponent this week, is last in the NFL at 21.3 percent.
A breakdown of Carolina's third-down plays this season affirms King's point: When the Panthers face a manageable distance on third down, they do OK.

The Panthers have converted 53.3 percent of their third-down plays when they needed 3 yards or less. Their success rate drops to 26.9 percent when facing third-and-7 or longer.

"You've got to gain some yards on first and second down to get it third-and-manageable. We've got to do better on all downs," King said. "I know third down is going to be the issue with the media. But you've got to convert on first and second down, just as well as you do on third."

The Panthers had their best third-down showing against the New York Giants in Week 1, converting 8 of 17 chances (47 percent). Leading receiver Steve Smith had three catches against the Giants that moved the chains.
Smith converted another third-down play with an 8-yard catch in the first quarter against Tampa Bay the following week. But Smith has not had a third-down reception since, as defensive backs have doubled up on him and forced the Panthers' young receivers to make plays.

It has proven to be a sound strategy.

Rookie receivers David Gettis and Brandon LaFell have been the target on 10 third-down throws and have just one catch between them - LaFell's 44-yard grab on third-and-1 near the end of the Cincinnati game. Tight end Dante Rosario has been the Panthers' most productive third-down receiver with six catches, including four since Jimmy Clausen replaced Matt Moore at quarterback. Rosario ranks among the NFL leaders in third-down receptions; tailback Mike Goodson is not far behind with five.

More than anything, those statistics speak to the Panthers' lack of a downfield passing attack. Carolina has gone 0-for-11 in third-and-long situations the past two weeks, against Cincinnati and New Orleans.
Four times against the Saints, Clausen came to the line needing 10 yards or more to get to the first-down marker.

"First off, we don't want to put ourselves in those situations," Clausen said. "We just have to convert. Keep practicing third down. Keep protecting up front like those guys are doing. ... Just got to make plays down the field."

That task could be even more challenging this week if Smith doesn't play. The team's leading receiver sprained his left ankle in the third quarter against the Saints, and had his foot in a protective boot earlier this week.
Smith believes the third-down issues are symptomatic of the team's overall offensive problems.

The Panthers enter Sunday's game versus the Bears as the NFL's lowest-scoring team (11.5 points a game) and near the bottom in passing yardage and total offense. The 16-14 loss to the Saints was the first time the Panthers scored more than one touchdown in a game.

"We haven't scored a lot of points. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. And four times now we have not been that team," Smith said. "So obviously, our third-down conversion rate is very low."
The Panthers' inability to sustain drives has kept their defense on the field longer. Carolina's average time of possession is 24:57. Only Buffalo, also 0-4, has a worse time of possession (24:53).

Only twice in John Fox's previous eight seasons has Carolina finished with a lower third-down percentage than the Panthers' current 33.9 percentage. The 2006 team, which went 8-8, was 31.1 percent on third downs, while the Panthers were 28.6 on third downs in 2002 in Fox's first season.

"We've just got to convert," Gettis said. "We've got to do a better job of getting to the sticks and making more plays down the stretch. I think that's all it really comes down to is making more plays."
It sounds simple. But the Panthers have made it more difficult with what they've done on first and second down.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#ixzz11ZXYEziX

NFL union head: Owners set for no football in 2011: At Green Bay, Wis., NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith sees new signs that owners are preparing for a football-free 2011.

With support from Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Smith asked fans to take the players’ side.
Speaking at a fan luncheon a few blocks from Lambeau Field on Tuesday, Smith referred to a recent Sports Business Journal report that said the NFL is requiring banks that lend money to its teams to extend grace periods for loan defaults through the end of the 2011 season in the event of a lockout.

Smith said that move, along with provisions in TV deals that provide for payments even if there is a lockout, are evidence that owners are planning for the possibility that there won’t be a season in 2011.