albert haynesworth

2011 NFL Division Predictions

NFL Free Agency and off-season trading has really reformed a lot of teams. The impact led me to writing updated NFL division predictions for the 2011 NFL season.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers (predicted record: 13-3). Green Bay had the biggest upside of the lockout because everybody else had to revitalize their teams in a short week. Instead the packers just cut a few salary cap eating players. I would definitely say that the packers should be back at the big dance this season. Detroit has a good chance with an awesome defensive line too. they should have a shot at wild card if QB Matthew Stafford can have a good year.

NFC West: Arizona Cardinals (predicted record: 10-6). The cardinals made a lot of bold moves in the off-season so far. they acquired Kevin Kolb, a superstar in the making from the Eagles, signing of 2-time pro bowler TE Todd Heap, and signing of LB Stewart Bradley. they also did very well in the draft filling most of their needs with CB Patrick Peterson (#5 overall pick), RB Ryan Williams (#38 overall pick), and TE Robert Housler (#69 overall pick) to name a few. look out for Seattle too, they made some bold moves but lost out on their starting QB Matt Hasselbeck which I think drops them to 2nd in this division.

NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles (predicted record: 12-4). The Eagles by far have the best free agent class with pro bowl CB Nnamdi Asomugha, pro bowl DE Jason Babin, DE Cullen Jenkins, and backup QB Vince Young. they also acquired pro bowl CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the Kevin Kolb trade to the Cardinals. This division will give Eagles good competition but since the Eagles have the best secondary in this division, they should be able to shut out opponent wide receivers limiting big plays.

NFC South: Atlanta Falcons (predicted record: 12-4). The Falcons traded their whole draft this year for superstar in the making WR Julio Jones getting oohs and awes in practice. This will make for a deadly big play wide receiver duo that no corner back in the NFC South can stop. they also strengthened their pass rush with DE Ray Edwards playing opposite of pro bowl DE John Abraham. The Saints will pose the biggest threat with draftees and signings of RB Mark Ingram, RB Darren Sproles, and CB Fabian Washington.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens (predicted record: 11-5). With Pittsburgh rolling over them in the playoffs they will look to make a splash in the competitive AFC North. they signed pro bowl FB Vonta Leach and got some good talent in the draft including a needed CB Jimmy Smith and WR Torrey Smith to summarize. The Steelers are the #1 threat to the Ravens but with Hines Ward declining in his old age they should look to capitalize.

AFC West: San Diego Chargers (predicted record: 12-4). last year, the Chargers had a down year by not making the playoffs. they were hit with injuries and promising rookies having poor years. they should be able to get back up again with Vincent Jackson drama cleared up and him having a good year. The great QB Philip Rivers aimed for the moon last season and he got it with a career high in passing yards of 4,710 which probably will be duplicated this year. The Chiefs had a successful year last year but with Matt Cassel at QB, they won’t be able to challenge San Diego.

AFC East: New England Patriots (predicted record: 14-2). Tom Brady won the MVP last season over scrambling Michael Vick with a TD to INT ratio at a historic level. The Patriots went big by trading for Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth which strengthen a poor ranked defense and gives them more depth at wide receiver. they looked like a contender last season but it proved too much pressure. The Jets threatened then slightly last season but not enough to make them feel pressured. The Jets will probably not threaten them at all this year losing out on some valuable free agents and with the emerging Dolphins going big this off-season also.

AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars (predicted record: 11-5). With Peyton Manning at age 35 and having a new 5 year/$90 million deal leaving no cap space to get new players. The Jaguars should be able to gain on the aging Colts with power house RB Maurice-Jones Drew, 2 QB options of Blaine Gabbert and David Garrard, pro bowl TE Marcedes Lewis, and many good defensive players. Jacksonville may be able to get back on the road of success starting with this season.

To conclude, The AFC champ should be New England and the NFC champ should be Green Bay as both teams have good parts to win this season. I hope you are looking forward to this season as much as I am.

NFL Preseason 2011 News – Free Agents and Trades

Football fans of the world are so happy that the treacherous NFL lockout is now over and free agency trading has now started for the NFL. One of the most watched sports of the world football just went through one of the biggest lockouts in the history of all sports. thank the Lord that this lockout is now over and that the NFL owners and the NFL players Association (NFLPA) have come to a simple conclusion that makes everybody happy. with the lockout ended all of the fans, players, coaches, and owners are all excited for the new season.

With the lockout over there have been many deals done in the past week two. this including the free-agent market and trading deals. Some of these deals have been big-time deals and some are just smaller deals that no one really cares about. So the sport report really focuses on the big deals made.

First off the new England Patriots made some very big deals this off-season so far. the first big deal that the patriots made was acquiring Albert Haynesworth from the Washington Redskins in a big trading deal with them. the second big deal the patriots made was acquiring Chad Ochocinco from the Cincinnati Bengals in this was also a trading deal. the patriots are hoping that these two players will provide a spark for their offense this upcoming season. with the loss of Randy Moss retiring they need a spark on offense to fill the hole of missing a stud receiver. the new England Patriots are one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.

Another favorite to win the Super Bowl the Philadelphia Eagles also made some very big deals this off-season. the Eagles made many shrewd deals this off-season so far they have traded many players and got many players in many professionals think that these deals have helped the team improve by a long shot. Some key players the Eagles have contracted running back Ronnie Brown, safety Jarrad Page and right tackle Ryan Harris. these players are supposedly going to make a huge difference in the upcoming season for the Philadelphia Eagles football team.

Not many other deals have been going on in the NFL recently although the lockout has just ended a few days ago and I am sure that other teams will meet deals.

These deals have made these two powerhouses in the NFL even better teams but I and excited to see what will happen next where other teams make big deals may be even bigger deals that these two teams and have made already.

I am looking forward to a good long season of NFL football and I hope you are too. I’m convinced that this is going to be one of the best football years in a while.

Patriots cut defensive end Albert Haynesworth

AHN Sports Staff

Foxborough, MA, United States (AHN Sports) – The New England Patriots reportedly released Albert Haynesworth after the defensive end failed to meet the team’s expectations, a reliable league source disclosed Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Haynesworth was cut from the Patriots roster after the former Pro Bowl linebacker recorded just three tackles in six games this season.

his struggles against guard David Diehl in the third quarter of the Pats’ loss to the New York Giants Sunday complicated the defensive end’s position on the team.

“we had a lot of defensive linemen active, so they played in different rotations,” Belichick told ESPN Thursday. “Vince [Wilfork] is a guy, obviously, that we don’t want off the field. But the rest of those guys, they can’t all play. One guy plays for a while, then somebody else plays, and they rotate.”

The hot-tempered Haynesworth reportedly had a verbal spat with Patriots assistant coach Pepper Johnson, but Belichick refrained from giving details about it.

“whatever we talk about as a team, during the game or in meetings, all that, is between the players and coaches,” Belichick told ESPN.

Haynesworth was expected to pocket $5.4 million this season, but decreased his base salary to $1.5 million after having a tumultuous two seasons with the Washington Redskins.

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Albert Haynesworth Redskins Jerseys Have Fans Riled Up

Albert Haynesworth Redskins jerseys are already some of the most popular pieces of merchandise and apparel for fans of the team. all of the fans are really pumped about up this move, and the team can’t wait to see what he can do.

If you’re a Washington Redskins fan then you know that not all big off-season moves end up working out like they are supposed to. the Redskins seem to have a tendency to make moves that look good on paper but end up not being as expected. so why should you go out and buy a Washington Redskins Haynesworth jersey and expect this situation to be any different?

There are many reasons why Albert Haynesworth Redskins jerseys make for a great purchase. For one thing, unlike the other players they have signed and traded for in the past, Haynesworth is in the absolute prime of his career. He’s not an older player looking to finish his last few years in the league, and he’s not coming off of any injuries. He’s young, strong and at the peak of his prime, and he has a lot to prove with a contract as large as he has.

Another reason why a Washington Redskins Haynesworth jersey is a smart idea is because he’s a difference maker down in the trenches, where games are really won and lost. He’s not a skill player on the outside that needs to rely on other people in order to succeed. no, Haynesworth is going to get his job done regardless of anybody else. He’s going to eat up bodies on the line, he’s going to stuff the run and he’s going to sack the quarterback.

When Haynesworth is focused and performs to the best of his ability, then he is one of the most fearsome and dominant defenders in the game. That’s what the Titans enjoyed over the last few years, and particularly during the 2008 season. Haynesworth has matured and has figured out what he needs to do to succeed, and Redskins fans couldn’t be happier because of it.

Of course fans of the Redskins are tired of the yearly high expectations, only to see the season floundered away. they are tired of big names and big contracts but small results. well rest assured, this one is a can’t miss. Join the legion of fans already wearing Albert Haynesworth Redskins jerseys and show your support for the club and the player, because it’s a surefire combination.

Pats release Haynesworth, D. Gronkowski

The Patriots announced Tuesday the signing of wide receiver Tiquan Underwood. in addition, the Patriots announced that defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth and tight end Dan Gronkowski have been released. the Patriots also released offensive lineman Thomas Welch from the practice squad.

Underwood, 24, is a veteran of two NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars who signed with the Patriots on Aug. 29 after being released by Jacksonville. He was released by the Patriots on Sept. 3. Underwood, 6-foot-1, 183 pounds, originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft choice (253rd overall) by Jacksonville in the 2009 draft out of Rutgers. After beginning his rookie season on the practice squad, he joined the 53-man roster and appeared in three games, mainly on special teams. Last season, he played in 10 games and caught eight passes for 111 yards and returned 24 kicks for 561 yards, including a career-long of 53 yards in the season-opener vs. Denver (Sept. 12).

Haynesworth, 30, was acquired by the Patriots in a trade with the Redskins in exchange for an undisclosed draft choice on July 29. He originally entered the NFL as a first-round draft choice (15th overall) of the Titans in 2002 out of Tennessee. He signed with Washington as an unrestricted free agent on Feb. 7, 2009. Haynesworth, 6-foot-6, 350 pounds, played in six games with the Patriots and collected six total tackles and one quarterback hit. He has started in 86 of 116 games and accumulated 532 total tackles, 30.5 sacks, 20 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his NFL career.

Gronkowski, 26, was originally signed by the Patriots on Sept. 7 and played in the first two games before being released on Sept. 23. He was re-signed to the Patriots on Oct. 11 and played in the last three games. Gronkowski, 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick (255th overall) of the Lions in 2009 out of Maryland. He was traded by Detroit to Denver on Sept. 4, 2010. Gronkowski was released by Denver on Sept. 3. He has played in 19 NFL games, including five with the Patriots, and has nine receptions for 65 yards in his career.

Welch, a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2010 out of Vanderbilt, has had two stints on the 53-man roster after starting the season on the practice squad. Welch, 6-foot-7, 310 pounds, played in three games with one start for the Patriots in 2011.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Albert Haynesworth Released, Is Chad Ochocinco Next? » Patriots Plus

Rather shocking news arose today as the New England Patriots had released defensive tackleAlbert Haynesworth.

Some could speculate that the team released Haynesworth after “giving up” and getting into a sideline confrontation with defensive line coach Pepper Johnson in the team’s loss against the New York Giants last Sunday. However to me, this transaction isn’t much more than a player not working out.

Haynesworth never was able to adjust to new England’s 4-3 defensive system, despite excelling in the 4-3 for most of his career. The 30-year-old had limited time to learn new England’s defense, as he dealt with a back injury for a good chunk of the time that he spent with the team.

Haynesworth appeared in only six games with the Patriots as he recorded just three tackles and no sacks.

With Haynesworth being a complete bust after being acquired earlier this year, another player who’s been a disappointment that was acquired right after Haynesworth is wide receiver Chad Ochocinco—could no. 85 be the next to be released in new England?

Before we get into, let’s keep in mind that sources have indicated that the Patriots did not release Haynesworth due to his confrontation with Johnson, but simply because he was not working out and that the team did not want to prolong the issue—so why prolong the issue with Ochocinco?

Ochocinco has played in all of new England’s eight games this season while making only nine receptions for 136 yards and no touchdowns. in fact, Ochocinco is in a slump, which you could argue is a slump within a slump, as he has yet to catch a pass since Week 5 against the New York Jets.

As Ochocinco’s production has been significantly down, so has his playing time. in a possible 583 offensive snaps, Ochocinco has played in only 181 of them—so could that be why he’s not producing?

To answer that question: no. It may be a tiny factor why he’s not producing, but simply he is not getting open.

Throughout the season, he has been targeted only 21 times—and that’s in 181 plays. so, in the time that he’s on the field, Ochocinco is only being thrown to about 11 percent of the time. However, the scary thing is, he has only caught only nine of his 21 passes, which is a lousy 42 percent.

Despite Tom Brady and new England’s offensive staff still keeping faith in Ochocinco, I would not be surprised if the former All-Pro wide receiver is let go sometime soon, just like his counterpart Albert Haynesworth.

To sum it rather simply: Haynesworth was not a good fit as he did not produce, so he was cut. Ochocinco has not been a good fit and he has not produced, so he will be—you fill in the rest.

2010 Washington Redskins Predictions

The Washington Redskins are looking for a big turnaround heading into the 2010 season. The Redskins fired head coach Jim Zorn and replaced him with proven head coach Mike Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. Taking over as the team’s new offensive coordinator is Shanahan’s son Kyle Shanahan, while Jim Haslet heads the defense that is making the switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4 scheme.

The Redskins have made a ton of moves this offseason, but none was bigger than the trade for quarterback Donovan McNabb, who is easily the best quarterback the franchise has had in years. here is a look at what the Redskins will send to the field on both sides of the ball in 2010, plus my prediction on where they finish the year in the NFC East.

Offense: McNabb will try and turn around an offense that finished 22nd in the NFL averaging just 312.5 yards per game in 2009. McNabb has proven he can get the job done regardless of who he has to throw the ball to, and I expect him to come out firing in 2010.

The Redskins added veterans Larry Johnson and Willie Parker this offseason to team up with Clinton Portis, and it will be interesting to see how they split the carries between these three veteran backs. either way I think this unit improves with McNabb at quarterback, as he keeps defenses from loading up the box.

Veteran wide receiver Santana Moss is back as the no.1 target on the outside, but for this unit to be productive they will need better play out of youngsters Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. To Redskins added depth to the position with the additions of veterans Bobby Wade and Joey Galloway. still the guy to out for in the passing game is tight end Chris Cooley, who should benefit the most with McNabb under center.

The Redskins used their fourth overall pick in the draft on Oklahoma tackle Trent Williams, and he figures to be a very solid replacement for the retired Chris Samuels. The Redskins also traded for tackle Jammal Brown, who figures to start right away at right tackle. The rest of the line remains the same, with Mike Williams and Derrick Dockery back at the two guard spots and veteran Casey Rabach back at center.

Defense: The big question surrounding the Redskins defense is what they will do with defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth, who has voiced his dissatisfaction with his projected new role in the 3-4 scheme. Regardless if Haynesworth plays one of the end spots or the nose tackle spot, he will not put up the same numbers we have seen in years past. The Redskins do have options, as Maake Kemoeatu and Kedric Golston both have the size to play inside.

At linebacker the Redskins will send 4-3 defensive ends Brian Orakpo and Andre Carter to the outside, after both tallied 11 sacks in 2009. Orakpo figures to benefit the most from the move to linebacker. Veteran London Fletcher will team up with Rocky McIntosh at the two inside spots, and this unit has the potential to be very good in 2010.

In the secondary the Redskins bring back ballhawk DeAngleo Hall to start at one corner spot, while Philip Buchanon and Carlos Rogers are expected to battle for the other starting spot. Haslett has expressed his interest in moving LaRon Landry from free safety to strong safety, and I believe it’s a smart move. that leaves Reed Doughty and Chris Houston to fight for the starting free safety spot.

Prediction – 3rd NFC East: I believe there is no question that the Redskins will be much more competitive than they were in 2009, but I can’t see this team making a push for a division title in 2010. The defense will take some time to adjust to the 3-4, and playing in the NFC East is simply no easy task, as all four teams have the potential to make the playoffs.