Washington Redskins- Rebuilt under Jim Zorn

In the second post Gibbs era, newly appointed head coach, Jim Zorn looks to build a winner. A season ago, the Redskins went 9-7, snatching the NFC's final wild-card berth, before losing to Seattle in the first round of the playoffs. For the last seven years Zorn was the Seahawks' quarterbacks coach, helping develop Matt Hasselbeck into a Pro Bowl player, but he had never been a coordinator for an NFL team until the Redskins came calling. Now he's making the jump to head coach.

"I'm very excited about being the Redskins' head football coach. My hope is to hold the traditions and the fight that the Redskins have always had in high regard," Zorn said. "And I'm going to try in my best effort to continue that tradition.”

Zorn becomes the sixth coach under Dan Snyder, who bought the team in 1999, and he ends a string of high-profile coaching hires by an owner who had developed a reputation for hiring top names at a top price. Snyder's last three coaches were Marty Schottenheimer, Steve Spurrier and Gibbs. None had a cumulative winning record, although Gibbs took the Redskins to the playoffs in two of his four seasons before his resignation Jan. 8.

"We're proud that our search was diligent, thorough," Snyder said. "Jim's track record and reputation as a player, great teacher, and as a coach makes us confident that they will translate to success for the Redskins."

Much of Zorn’s success will hinge on the development of third year quarterback Jason Campbell. Campbell made strides in his development last year, he passed for 2,700 yards and 12 touchdowns, before suffering a knee injury Dec.6, 2007 against Chicago. Zorn is expected to overhaul the offense, implementing a version of the west coast attack. This offense may take a short time for Campbell to adjust to, but in the long run, Campbell’s skills should translate well to this type of system. He possesses deceptive speed, rushing 36 times for 185 yards, a 5.1 ypc average. Going into next season, Campbell will likely be a gamble for fantasy owners, the talent is there, but it’s hard to invest in a young quarterback who has to learn a new system. Last season there were definite flashes of brilliance for Campbell with a 3 touchdown performance against Philly, and a 300 yard effort @ Dallas, but overall he was very inconsistent. While Campbell remains one of my favorite young quarterbacks, it would be unwise to draft him as anything more than a back up at this point.

Another factor that should contribute to Campbell and the Redskins’ success is their current personnel. While Zorn has made it clear that he would like to bring in a big target for Campbell, current targets Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El should perform well in the short passing game of the west coast attack. Both Moss and Randle El are speedy undersized receivers (5'10) who excel in the open field. A year ago both struggled with injury, and were often limited when matching up with the physical corners like Ronde Barber and Chris Tillman. After Moss’1,400 yard, nine touchdown pro bowl campaign in ‘05, he hasn’t been the same due to recurring muscle pulls. Moss is coming off a career low, three touchdown catches in ‘07, and isn’t likely to return to his pro bowl form. Looking ahead to 2008, Moss should bounce back a little if he is able to avoid the injury bug, but valuing him as any more than a No. 3 receiver would be a mistake. Randle El has never been a fantasy contributor, though he did record 51 receptions for 728 yards a year ago, both career highs. Randle El should be looked at as a marginal fantasy contributor and may be pushed back to a fourth option if help is brought in. Expect Washington to address their receiving corp at some point this off season whether it be through the draft, or simply retaining the ageless Keenan McCardell who came on late with the Redskins.

While the passing attack will change, Zorn will do his best to keep the running game a constant. With all the changes Washington has gone through the last eight years, Zorn is trying to keep as many constants as possible. To help keep the status quo, Greg Blache now heads the defense, he was promoted from line coach, and the special teams, which is still under the direction of Danny Smith. This lack of change bodes well for pro- bowler running back Clinton Portis. Despite the new offensive look, Portis should remain one of the top running backs in the NFL, and a solid first to early second round fantasy pick. Portis excels in the zone blocking scheme, and is an adept pass blocker. For fantasy purposes Portis should be able put up numbers in the area of 1,200+ yards and 10+ touchdowns if he is able to stay healthy. As has been the case the past few seasons, any owner that takes Portis will need to handcuff him with back up Ladell Betts. After Betts’ breakout year in ‘06 when he posted 1,154 yards and four touchdowns, many owners jumped on the former Hawkeye standout only to see him play in occasional 3rd down situations. This season owners should be able to wait until the late rounds to snag Betts, who has proven he can carry the load if Portis goes down.

The one constant in the Redskins offense the past three seasons has been tight end Chris Cooley. Over that time Cooley has averaged 65 receptions for 764 yards, and seven touchdowns. Cooley has developed a solid rapport with quarterback Jason Campbell the past two seasons and benefits from being the biggest target on the field. Cooley clearly emerged last season as the top play maker at receiver, and Jim Zorn would be wise to look for additional ways to get the ball to his star tight end. With another year to mesh with Jason Campbell, and the use of a west coast attack that favors the tight end, Cooley could improve on his numbers in 2008, further solidifying his status as a top five player at his position.

Zorn has done an exceptional job so far in his short time with Washington, with much of the roster in attendance for the start of voluntary off-season conditioning, the transition should run smoothly. While players are eager to come in and learn the new system, the familiarity is still their with players and coaches. The Redskins have helped maintain continuity by having every projected starter under contract and 11 of 17 assistant coaches returning from a team that made the playoffs last season and in 2005.

“There hasn’t been a complete changeover,” Pro Bowl snapper Ethan Albright said. “There is some stability, some doing it the way we’ve been doing it (including in the conditioning program). It’s not at all the night and day switch like some teams I’ve been on. I think it will be a huge help. Instead of rebuilding, we’re building on last year’s success.”

With all the talk and the preparation Jim Zorn, and the Redskins will go through this off- season there is no substitute for game time action. His players will have to adjust to the new offense in a hurry as each team in the tough NFC East looks to rebuild and make a run at the playoffs.

Rebuilding Raider Nation

Coming off a 4-12 season, Al Davis is looking for answers, and a way to bring the Oakland Raiders back to their days of prominence. Davis has long been respected as one of the great football minds of his time, and for over 40 years he has built the Raider franchise into one of the more storied organizations in the history of the NFL. Davis joined the Raiders in 1963, just three years after they began play. His impact was immediate, and from 1963 until 2002 the team had only seven losing seasons, while winning twelve division titles and three of five Super Bowls. Davis is now 79 years old, and while his famous slogans ("Pride and Poise," "Commitment to Excellence," and "Just Win, Baby"—all of which are registered trademarks) still hold strong, the days of glory seem like a distant memory.

With everything Davis has accomplished during his time with the Raiders, he remains determined to rebuild his team. In 2008, the Raiders will officially belong to former first round pick JaMarcus Russell. In an effort to help Russell excel, Davis and the Raiders took a huge risk in signing wide receiver Javon Walker. Three seasons ago, Walker was the go-to receiver for Brett Favre and one of the most talented stars at his position. He caught 89 passes for 1,382 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Since then, Walker grew unhappy with his contract and was traded to Denver, has undergone three knee surgeries and witnessed the shooting death of teammate Darrent Williams while riding together in a limousine.

The Raiders seemed desperate for a big name at receiver after the free agent defection of Jerry Porter . The Raiders gave Walker an $11 million signing bonus and will have the option of picking up a $5 million roster bonus next season in a contract which would pay $27 million over three seasons. The full deal—six years and $55 million—includes back- loaded salary of $10 million over the last two years of the contract.

Considering the size of the contract, Davis and the Raiders really took a sizeable risk in acquiring Walker. Team doctors thoroughly checked out Walker’s troublesome knee and came to the conclusion he is worth the physical risk. With numerous quarterbacks taking position under center the last few seasons, the Raiders seem determined to patch up their offense and provide Russell with the legit opportunity to succeed. Davis has been very active during free-agency after winning a league-low 19 games the past five years. Oakland has signed defensive tackles Tommy Kelly and William Joseph, receivers Walker and Drew Carter, safety Gibril Wilson, offensive linemen Kwame Harris and Cornell Green to deals that could be worth more than $160 million. The Raiders also placed the exclusive franchise tag on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, guaranteeing him about $10 million next season, and re-signed running back Justin Fargas to a $12 million, three-year contract that guarantees him $6 million.

Aside from Ronald Curry, who led the Raiders in receiving in each of the last two seasons with 117 receptions for 1,444 yards, the roster was woefully short in terms of production at wide out, until Walker arrived. If Walker is able to stay healthy, and happy in Oakland, he will provide Russell with a top notch “go-to” target, and with Russell’s arm strength the tandem should be a lock for a few long touchdowns throughout the season. With Russell’s lack of experience, expect Walker to have his ups and downs and temper any fantasy expectations. Walker should be a solid No.2 receiver if everything works out right, but owners would likely be smart to have a few back options considering Walker’s extensive injury history.

While the signing of Walker was by far the sexiest move made by the Raiders, Davis invested another $50 million in re-signing defensive tackle Tommy Kelly. Kelly went undrafted out of Mississippi State, and has spent the past four seasons in Oakland. During that time Kelly has done fairly well racking up 166 total tackles, 13.0 sacks and forced seven fumbles. While many people have ridiculed this signing, Kelly is a space-eater and puts serious pressure on the backfield while opening up lanes for play makers like Thomas Howard. The price is steep, and Davis probably could have gotten more for his money, but Kelly has been part of a solid Raiders defense the past few seasons, and his return should help the team make strides in 2008.

Davis has always been known to value his secondary, and after watching Wilson knock out the Patriots in the Super Bowl, Wilson became a must have for Davis and the Raiders. In separate moves, the Raiders have also been linked to Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall who is expected to join the Raiders in the coming days in exchange for a 2nd and 6th round pick in this year’s draft. The addition of Wilson and Hall would elevate the Raiders secondary into one of the league’s best. Paired with Asomugha, Hall will allow Stanford Routt and Fabian Washington to fall into back up and nickel back roles after failing to live up to their draft day expectations. With two shut down cover corners, expect to see Lane Kiffin and the Raiders run multiple blitz packages and remain confident that their defensive duo can lock up the other teams best receivers man to man.

While Davis, and the Raiders have made the moves to turn things around, all eyes will be on Russell to lead an offense that ranked 23rd in the NFL a season ago. For Walker to have any kind of impact the offensive line will have to provide Russell with the time to deliver the ball, and Russell will have to go through the growing pains of the NFL as he builds a rapport with his new receiving corps. Look for the Raiders to make strides in 2008, with the playoffs still a year or two away. In the end you have to give Davis and the Raiders management their dues, money was spent and talent has been brought in through a number a moves to help turn this once storied franchise back into a winner. Patience will remain the key, but when you’re Al Davis, patience is a lot harder to practice than to preach.

NFL Draft 2008- Offensive Line

This years offensive line group is an above average group enhanced by junior standouts Ryan Clady and Anthony Collins. Jake Long will likely be the first player selected at this position, and he should go in the top 10. There will be at least three first-round picks with prospects like Clady, Branden Albert, Chris Williams and Jeff Otah all possible first-round selections. This class should have at least eight players selected in the first 100 picks, and the group could produce as many as 12 players who will develop into NFL starters.

Jake Long (Michigan)- Long is a physical player (6'7, 305) who has the skills and collegiate experience to start as an NFL rookie. He is the prototype left tackle. He has an excellent frame, with room to potentially add more bulk. He is a good athlete that slides well laterally in pass protection and can adjust to athletic edge rushers. In the running game he shows the ability to drive people off the ball, and the ability to block on the move. There isn’t much to dislike about Long’s game. Maybe he isn’t an athletic freak or dominant at the point of attack on every play, but he is a complete tackle prospect. He has no weakness, he is not just a finesse guy either, he can move the pile, run block with the best of them and he plays with a mean streak. His experience on both the left and right side will improve his versatility. Michigan running back Mike Hart didn’t run for 1,562 yards and score 14 touchdowns by accident, most of those runs were behind Jake Long. He should provide his quarterback and running back with time and room up front to make plays for years to come. Long could have been a Top 10 pick last season but decided to return for his senior year. He did nothing to hurt his stock this year, and he should be the top offensive lineman selected this April with the growing need and price of quality tackles in the NFL.

Ryan Clady (Boise St.)- Clady has established himself as the clear No.2 line prospect behind Jake Long. Clady decided to forego his senior season with expectations of being an early first round pick, and is expected to fall within the top 15 picks this April. He possesses ideal size (6'6, 310) and when he gets his hands on the defender, he locks him out. He has good foot movement and slides with the defender. Clady has dominated his opposition in the WAC and excelled in individual workouts. He has good technique and has a good initial punch. At his pro day, Clady ran his 40-yard dash in 5.18 seconds, unofficially. He showcased a vertical leap of 31 inches and a broad jump of nine feet. All three efforts would have placed him in the top 10 among lineman at the NFL Scouting Combine. The vertical was better than any offensive linemen's at the event. Clady aims to be the highest drafted player from Eisenhower High School, Ronnie Lott was selected at No. 8 by the San Francisco 49ers in 1981. Clady figures to be a welcomed addition to any team and should pay immediate dividends in pass protection and the running game.

Gosder Chrilus (Boston College)- Born in Haiti, his name is pronounced "GOZ-der SHARE-uh-luss". Cherilus was a four year starter in the ACC, and started 37 consecutive games at right tackle but he moved to the left side as a senior. He hails from a program that is known for producing quality lineman in BC, and has the experience against top notch competition to make a quick transition in the NFL. He has excellent size (6'6, 315) and a huge frame. He has the power and strength to get a great push as a run blocker and can consistently get to the second level. Cherilus is an above average athlete for his size, possessing nimble feet and nice balance. He is a smart player who is stout at the point of attack, and once he locks on, the battle is basically over. Gosder should be an early NFL starter at right tackle where he excelled in college. He does offer versatility in that he played left tackle his senior season. Cherilus should enjoy a long career at RT and provide needed help in the running game and pass protection for whichever team is lucky enough to draft him.

Jeff Otah (Pittsburgh)- Otah is the one pf the prospects in this group that is still oozing with potential. He didn’t start playing football until his senior year in high school. He spent two years at Valley Forge Military Academy before tranferiing to BC as one of the top rated JUCO prospects. He has outstanding size (6'6, 322) with a huge frame and long arms. For his size he is a great athlete with tremendous quickness, light on his feet, while showcasing strength and raw power. He is physically aggressive with a solid initial punch, he displays mobility with good range and has shown the ability to recover when he is beat. At Pitt he received the Ed Conway award given to the most improved player during the spring. Otah is still improving, and if there is a downside for this native of Nigeria, he will need to learn the NFL game as he has only two years experience against D-I competition.
Chris Williams (Vanderbilt)- Williams offers something important up front, he was the unquestioned leader of the Commodore offensive line. While he is an outstanding athlete he will need to improve upon his strength and aggressiveness. Williams has quick feet and good footwork. He has great size (6'6, 315) and a large frame with room to get bigger. He excels in pass protection. While he doesn’t get the biggest push in the running game, his athleticism and awareness allows him to get to the second level on a regular basis. He is football smart with great awareness, he shows versatility having played both guard and tackle against top notch SEC talent. His showing against the SEC is what ranks Williams so high, league coaches named him all SEC first team. Williams will likely be a late first or early second round pick and should develop into a reliable tackle at the NFL level.

Sam Baker (USC)- Father, David, is the commissioner of the Arena Football League. Baker is a finesse blocker and may not be a good fit for every team, but he has an intriguing set of physical tools that could make him a hot commodity on draft day. He has a large frame (6'4, 310) with long arms and still has some potential for growth. He is a true athlete, quick and agile with terrific feet who moves well. He is a smart player, who is technically sound with good awareness. Baker plays with good leverage, and is a natural left tackle with good character and a lot of experience playing against the best competition college has to offer. Baker finished his career at USC as a 3-time All- American first teamer and was name to the Walter Camp All- American first team along with a number of other accolades. Coach Pete Carrol thinks Baker will be a great NFL player: “We get great leadership from Sam. And his tenacity and savvy carry over to the other guys."
Branden Albert (Virginia)- Albert is the top offensive guard in his group and is declaring as a junior. As a three year starter for the Cavs (36 games), Albert was named a team captain as a junior last season. He is a first rate talent, with all the physical tools to succeed. He started a couple of games at left tackle as a junior in place of an injured Eugene Monroe and could possibly play outside at the pro level as well, offering great versatility. He has excellent size (6'5, 310)with a large frame and long arms. Albert excels in pass protection, but also gets a good push in the run game, he is a leader on and off the field with all the intangibles to be that speical player at the next level. He possesses that killer instinct, and combined with his physical strength, speed and athleticism, Albert is truly that rare guard destined to be a first round selection.

Josh Howard, Mavs Still Adjusting to Jason Kidd

Ever since the All- Star break, No.5 hasn't been himself. A month ago Josh went through an
emotion filled 10- day span in which he injured his back, had family pass away, and saw his best
friend Devin Harris leave town due to the trade.

It has been eight games since the break and with Kidd by his side, the Show -- and Dallas, which
is 4-4 since the All-Star break -- is still adjusting to having a game-changing guard like No. 2 on
the floor.

THE BEGINNING
With No.5 and the Mavs fighting for playoff seeding, Dallas Morning News, David Moore
speaks his thoughts behind the struggles of No.5:

"The days leading up to the All-Star break are a good place to start.

Howard took a hard fall in the second half of the team's loss to Philadelphia on Feb. 11 and
suffered a lower back contusion. The next day, his great grandmother on his father's side died.

This came slightly more than five weeks after Sadie Brown, the person Howard calls his God-
grandmother, passed away. Brown watched Howard growing up when his mother couldn't.

Then Devin Harris was traded.

Then Howard's jump shot began to go awry. "

BREAKING IT DOWN
Going into the break, No. 5 was following up his All-Star 2006-07 season with a career year,
averaging career highs in minutes (37 per game), points (20.3), rebounds (7.4), and assists (2.1),
while shooting a sparkling 47% from the field and 81% from the line.

Since Kidd's arrival, Josh has maintained his playing time averaging 37.5 minutes per game, but
has seen his offensive numbers slip with averages of 16.3 points per game on 37% shooting from
the field and 21% beyond the arc (Josh holds career averages of 46% and 35% from the
respective categories).

His numbers have also slid across the board, with lows in assists (1.5), steals (.6) and a spike in
turnovers (2.3). His rebounding average has also taken a dip to six per game after averaging
more than seven on the season. Josh spoke recently to the Dallas Morning News:

"This is the first time since I've been in the league where I've had a stretch like this"

Whether attributable to his back contusion, which still was not fully healed after the break, or
simply learning to play with a point guard who radically changes the Mavericks' approach to the
game, Josh remains determined to find a new groove. As he said recently to the Star-Telegram:

"I'm just trying to find my way around right now, just playing ball. I have to play my part like
I've always been doing. I'm getting shot attempts up. They're just not falling, I've just got to keep
shooting."
NOT FULLY RECOVERED
Throughout everything that has gone on in the life of No.5, he is still recovering from injury. He
still feels a twinge from time to time and has deemed his health at about 85 percent:

"He was out for a while and when he came back, he was not really right," Mavericks assistant
coach Paul Westphal said. "When that happens, it messes with your confidence and timing. You
need both of those things."

ADJUSTING TO KIDD
Early in the season, the Mavs were a team that thrived off isolation, a system the Show learned
fluently. With the arrival of Kidd, the Mavs have changed their play to an up- tempo, pick and
roll, a style the Show will have to learn on the run. Josh speaks on making the adjustment:

"It wasn't going to be like how it was in New Jersey," Howard said. "I'm not Vince Carter. I'm
not Richard Jefferson. I've just got to get used to Kidd. Not just used to him but the whole team.
We're still getting used to everybody.

"It's only a matter of time until I get used to it. It's not going to stop me. It's not going to hold me
back."
A MARKED IMPROVEMENT
On Monday, Josh showed signs of returning to form with a 25-point performance during a road
loss to the Utah Jazz. The Dallas Morning News caught up with coach Avery Johnson after the
game:

"I think it's over now." Johnson said. "He was in a bad stretch there. He snapped out of it against
Utah. We asked him to do a few things offensively, and guess what, he did it. He was much
more aggressive.

"If he stays aggressive like he was in that game, then we'll have that behind us."

Expect that to be the trend over the next month as the Show and Co. -- which now includes J
Kidd -- find their way.

RELATED STORIES
Dirk an All-Star, Josh snubbed (Mavs Courtside, Jan. 31, 2008)
http://mavscourtsideview.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-01-31T19%3A41%3A00-06
Josh Howard Game Log (NBA.com, Feb. 19, 2008)
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/josh_howard/game_by_game_stats.html

For Howard, it's not just new Kidd on the block (Star-Telegram, Mar. 4, 2008)
http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/509526.html

Josh Howard's hurting, but Dallas Mavericks need him (DallasNews.com, Mar.6, 2008)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/030608dnspomoore.3
07a4c8.html

Josh Howard- Mid- Season Report

In the NBA the biggest accomplishments are achieved as a team. At this seasons mid- way point, Josh Howard and the Dallas Mavericks sit at 35-18 good for the sixth seed in the competitive Western conference. While most teams would be content being seventeen games over .500, Howard and the Mavericks have something to prove after last seasons first round playoff exit to the Golden State Warriors. Last season the Mavericks claimed the No.1 seed in the west, while compiling a 67-15 record, good for 6th all time. Forward Josh Howard and his Mavericks team have learned that records are over rated.
In an effort to keep his team amongst the western elite, Josh Howard has taken his all- around game to the next level. In his fifth season out of Wake Forest, Howard has given the Mavericks another 20 point scorer to pair alongside All- Star Dirk Nowitzki. Last season Howard had a career year and was recognized with his first All- Star selection with per game averages of 18.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. This year, Howard headed a long list of All- Star snubs despite averaging career highs in minutes (36 per game), points (20.3), rebounds (7.4), and assists (2.1). Even though he was left off the All- Star team, Josh’s teammates recognize his impact on the team. When asked about making his seventh All- Star game, teammate Dirk Nowitzki said,“It’s always an honor to be nominated and represent a great organization. It’s been great, but I’m more disappointed than anything about Josh not being there. He’s had an unbelievable year. He deserves to be there as much as I do. He’s been probably our most consistent player throughout the whole year, so it’s disappointing”.
Howard truly has been a model of consistency this season, in the 47 games he has played, he has scored double figures in 46. In one of the most entertaining games of the season, Howard scored a career high 47 points on December. 8th in a wild 125-117 victory over the Utah Jazz. Even amidst a breakout performance, Howard has remained humble and focused on the long term goal of helping his team win a championship. “I want to be a more complete player.” Howard says “A big part of helping this team out is doing a little bit of everything. I know if I can score a little bit more, it is going to take the pressure off Dirk [Nowitzki] and Jason [Terry], as well as [Jerry Stackhouse]. I want to keep doing the little things to help my team.” In addition to his offensive output, Howard has taken pride in shutting down the leagues leading scorers on a nightly basis, while trying to brush aside the notion that teams have the same gameplan against him.
“Josh is a tough player to slow down because he’s mixing up his game more now,” Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. “He’s getting us layups on the break, he’s running the offense for us, he’s getting in-between shots, he’s making the long shot and now he’s making some terrific passes when he’s covered.”
In the West, the Mavericks are going to need all the help they can get from Howard. When asked to sum up the Western conference in one word, Avery Johnson said, “Parity”. With only 4½ games separating seeds one through nine, the second half should go down to the wire as teams claw for positioning and a playoff berth. In a further effort to win, and win now, the Mavericks completed an eight player trade that will bring Jason Kidd, forward Malik Allen, and guard Antoine Wright to Dallas. In return the Nets received a package of five players centered around point guard Devin Harris. Also headed to New Jersey are center DeSagana Diop, swingman Maurice Ager, forward Trenton Hassel, and retired forward Keith Van Horn along with two first- round draft picks and $3 million.
"We feel (Kidd's) skill set can help us finish stronger, finish games better," coach Avery Johnson said. "Obviously he's not the guy we're going to lean on for points, points, points, points. He's going to help us because at the end of games, he just knows how to win."
Now teamed with Jason Kidd, the 3rd all time leader in triple- doubles, Josh Howard and the Dallas Mavericks seem bound for an exciting second half finish. Kidd should only enhance Howard’s game, opening up the floor and creating open looks. Howard has proven himself as a model of consistency throughout his career, improving each of his five seasons in the NBA, and with a great core of players around him sky is the limit. Howard may not have made the Western conference All- Star team this season, but as far as Dallas is concerned not many stars have shined brighter than No. 5.
Related Stories
Mavs- Nuggets- Josh Howard a focus too
(Mavs.com, Jan. 27, 2008)
http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/MavsNuggets_notes_012708.html

Josh Howard lights up Utah for 47
(Mavs Courtside, Dec.8, 2007)
http://mavscourtsideview.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2007-12-11T15%3A47%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=7

Dirk an All- Start, Josh snubbed
(Mavs Courtside, Jan. 31, 2008)
http://mavscourtsideview.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-01-31T19%3A41%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=7

Mavericks’ midseason report
(DallasNews.com, Jan. 24, 2008)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/012508dnspomavsmidseason.26a1a91.html

Kidd reintroduced in Dallas after 8-player trade with New Jersey
(Yahoo Sports, Feb. 19, 2008)
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AoxAU2ImRWoIPaXFeb1c30Q5nYcB?slug=ap-nets-maverickstrade&prov=ap&type=lgns

Josh Howard Game Log
(NBA.com, Feb. 19,2008)
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/josh_howard/game_by_game_stats.html

2008 NFL Draft - Outside Linebackers

With the January additions of a few blue chip underclassmen, the outside linebacker position is slightly above average heading into April’s draft. Kieth Rivers is undoubtedly the top linebacker at any position and seems to be the only one from this group to be a first round selection. This years group of underclassmen is truly talented, with a few players who should be able to come in and start as rookies and make an immediate impact.

1) Kieth Rivers (USC)- Rivers measures in at 6'2, 240 and clocked in with a 4.63- 40 at the combine. Rivers started for his third season at weakside linebacker as a senior in 2007 and turned in an All-American season. Overall in 2007 while starting 12 games, he had 78 tackles (second on USC), including 5 for losses of 15 yards, plus 4 deflections, a team-high 3 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. He was 1 of 10 semifinalists for the 2007 Butkus Award and 1 of 17 quarterfinalists for the Lott Trophy, as well as an SI.com All-American first team. Rivers has everything you would want in a linebacker, top notch athleticism, good instincts, recognition, and excellent speed. At USC, Rivers displayed terrific range which let him go sideline-to-sideline, and a non-stop motor. Rivers did an adequate job in coverage, but excelled more as a pass rusher where he is a big time hitter.

2) Xavier Adibi (Virginia Tech)- An invaluable performer for the Hokies throughout his career, Xavier Adibi joined Vince Hall in forming one of the best linebacker tandems in college football. The duo would go on to record 695 tackles, 20 1/2 quarterback sacks, 60 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 52 pressures during their time together at Tech. In 47 games at Tech, Adibi started 40 contests, recorded 291 tackles (133 solo) with 11 sacks for minus-34 yards, 30 stops for losses of 78 yards and 18 quarterback pressures, caused five fumbles and recovered another that he advanced 35 yards for a touchdown, deflected 12 passes and had eight interceptions for 170 yards in returns (21.2-yard average) with two touchdowns. Adibi became just the second linebacker in school history to earn first-team All-American honors (2007). Adibi’s stock has stayed steady and he looks to be a early second round pick.

3) Erin Henderson (Maryland)- Henderson is one of the top linebackers in the nation, and decided to forego his senior season for the NFL draft this April. He is an emotional player with good speed (4.72- 40) and has made big plays his entire career. Henderson finished as a Butkus award semifinalist, while ranking ninth in the nation in tackles per game at 11.08. Henderson posted nine double-digit tackle games on the season, and led the team with 11 tackles for loss despite missing the Georgia Tech game due to injury . He ranked 14th in the conference in tackles for loss per game (0.92) and ranked first in the ACC in fumbles recovered (0.33 pg), while his four fumble recoveries were the most by a Terps defender since Orlando Strozier had six in 1993. Henderson showed his toughness as he battled knee and back woes the last few weeks of the regular season and started all 12 games he played at Will linebacker. Henderson looks to be a second round pick at the moment.

4) Marcus Howard (Georgia)- Howard has seen his draft stock soar since the combine. He wowed scouts with a 4.45- 40, which is even more impressive when you see what a physical presence he is. Howard played on the defensive line in college, but due to his size (6'1, 238) he will shift to the linebacker position at the NFL level. In 2007 he had a career high six tackles at Vanderbilt, recorded two sacks vs. Kentucky, five tackles including .5 for a loss vs. No. 18 Auburn, four tackles including a sack, forced a recovered a fumble, and had a pass break-up vs. Troy, and notched four tackles including two sacks vs. No. 9 Florida. Since Howard will be shifting positions its hard to compare his stats to other linebackers in this group, but if his showing at the combine was any indication, Howard will be showcasing his talent at linebacker for years to come.

5) Curtis Lofton (Oklahoma)- With many professional teams begging for speed at linebacker, Lofton has a chance to make a big splash. A strong-side linebacker for most of his career, Lofton is just starting to tap his vast potential and may have found his calling at middle linebacker. He shifted inside for his final four games with the Sooners and finished his junior campaign with one of the most productive seasons by a defender, as his 157 total tackles are the most by an Oklahoma player since George Cumby amassed 160 hits in 1979. His career-high 157 tackles (94 solo) rank seventh on the school's single-season list and were the third-highest total in the NCAA ranks (his average of 11.21 tackles per game ranked seventh nationally). Lofton also had a sack, 10.5 stops for loss and four forced fumbles. He recovered a fumble for a touchdown, scored once on three interceptions and deflected two passes. That performance earned him consensus All-American and All-Big Twelve Conference honors, in addition to being selected Big Twelve Defensive Player of the year by the Associated Press.

6) Ali Highsmith (LSU)- Highsmith has found himself slipping since an uninspiring performance at the combine. Once regarded as the No.2 outside linebacker behind Kieth Rivers, Highsmith has now fallen from the upper echelon of linebackers. Highsmith is the ideal weakside linebacker prospect. He is a very good athlete, with excellent closing speed that flies around the field. He has the ability to come off the edge and close on the quarterback, and the speed to chase backs down. Highsmith is very good in coverage, where his athleticism and speed allow him to stay stride for stride with his man and follow them all over the field. In seven games this year, Highsmith ranks second on the squad in tackles with 45 tackles, which includes five tackles for losses and a sack. Highsmith was one of ten semifinalist for the Butkus Award and despite his poor combine showing he should be a solid performer at the NFL level.

7) Jordan Dizon (Colorado)- Dizon was a Butkus Award finalist, and as a four-year fixture in the starting lineup was one of the inspirational leaders of the Colorado defense. Dizon was the nation’s leading tackler this past, and had been for all but one week this past season, as he has 160, or an average of 13.3 per game, with 120 being solo stops. But that doesn’t begin to tell the story of what he has accomplished or meant to CU’s defense. As the Buffs’ defensive captain, he played 796 snaps all but 44 snaps for the CU defense. He has 14 tackles for loss, including four quarterback sacks, and another eight for zero gains by the opponent, all team bests, as are his school record 19 third down stops. He also has an interception, two pass break-ups, four hurries, two near-sacks, a forced fumble and a caused interception. Dizon had a career-high 22 tackles in the opener against Colorado State. Dizon should be a bargain to the NFL team that drafts him, he is projected to be a 4th or 5th round pick, but should perform as well as the top linebackers taken in this draft.