Talk about burying the lede. Wade Phillips waits twenty minutes into the press conference to tell us Terence Newman is out for the preseason. C’mon Wade, you got to give us some info! Note to reporters, always ask about injuries. Anyway, the news is that the injury is a strain in his foot, not a bruised heel, as if that means anything to me. I’m just trusting that Newman will be ready for the Giants game. Trusting, and praying.
Wade isn’t satisfied yet with what he’s seen beyond Aaron Glenn among the backups at corner. He placed them all in one large "not good enough yet" category. Someone needs to step up, I thought Jacques Reeves and Joey Thomas had separated themselves out some from the pack, but Wade doesn't agree. So we’ll be watching intently over these final two games for signs, or we may just be in the market for a trade. Also, Nate Jones is the backup slot guy, if Newman isn’t in. Coach says Glenn is the first option inside, but Jones is the next.
Just as he did against the Broncos, Phillips will start veteran Aaron Glenn in place of Newman at left cornerback. The move does leave the defense somewhat shorthanded on nickel and dime schemes with Nate Jones the only other corner accustomed to playing Newman's inside spot, where Glenn also is capable of playing.
So with Newman out, Phillips will get a better look at some of his younger corners at a position which promises to be hard to cut come Sept. 1.
Nick Eatman discusses the odds of rookies making the roster. It’s pretty interesting stuff, with a neat chart thrown in. At the end he gives his rookie roster locks and then adds the "getting close" to a roster spot rookies. But this still baffles me:
Getting Close
FB Deon Anderson
K Nick Folk
CB Alan Ball
Alan Ball? The guy has done nothing all through camp and the preseason games. Why is he getting close? I’ve never heard the coaches mention him, I’ve watched the games, you’ve watched the games, I saw training camp – I’m just confused on this. Even coach said today that none of the backup CB's are where he wants them to be. Eatman has sources, so maybe he knows something that is not well-known to us, but I just can’t see how Ball is getting close.
Another story on Leonard Davis. But I think this quote is all you need to read.
"Yeah, he's the biggest I've ever seen," tight end Jason Witten said. "I never knew he was that athletic until he got here and watching him run, he looks like a running back out there. Sometimes you're running behind him and you get lost because you can't see around him."