LenDale White Says Weight In Check; Rehab On Track
(5/9 8:45 PT)
The Facts:
White said his current weight is "anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds from where I need to be." He played in the 245-pound range last season and said he wanted to come to training camp around 230 or 235. "It is way better (than last offseason)," White said. "I want people to keep speculating and keep guessing what I (weigh) because it is great talk. So I am not going to tell people what I weigh, I just want people to speculate."Reported by the Nashville Tennessean
Diehards Line:
White, heading into his third NFL season, is still working his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery and will be limited at the team's minicamp practices over the next week. White, however, said he's been "rehabbing like crazy" and the decision to hold him back during mini-camp practices was made more for precautionary reasons. "We're just taking our time," he said. "I am feeling good. We just don't want to blow it out."
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr1')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">LenDale White Says Weight In Check; Rehab On Track
(5/9 8:45 AM PT)
The Facts:
White said his current weight is "anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds from where I need to be." He played in the 245-pound range last season and said he wanted to come to training camp around 230 or 235. "It is way better (than last offseason)," White said. "I want people to keep speculating and keep guessing what I (weigh) because it is great talk. So I am not going to tell people what I weigh, I just want people to speculate."
Diehards Line:
White, heading into his third NFL season, is still working his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery and will be limited at the team's minicamp practices over the next week. White, however, said he's been "rehabbing like crazy" and the decision to hold him back during mini-camp practices was made more for precautionary reasons. "We're just taking our time," he said. "I am feeling good. We just don't want to blow it out."
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr2')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Rob Bironas (Finally) Signs Tender With Titans
(5/9 8:38 AM PT)
The Facts:
Bironas has signed a one-year deal with the team worth $1.47 million. The Titans made Bironas a one-year tender offer in February, but the team remains interested in signing him to a long-term contract.
Diehards Line:
The 30-year-old Bironas may have been the Titans' offensive MVP a season ago. Bironas connected on 35-of-39 field goals, including an impressive 13-of-15 attempts from 40 yards and beyond. He also averaged 67.6 yards on kickoffs, tops among kickers who played a full season.
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr3')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Bengals, Shaun Alexander Still Talking
(5/9 12:29 AM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... Alexander has returned home to Seattle following two free-agent visits this week, first to Cincinnati on Sunday and Monday and then New Orleans on Wednesday. Jim Steiner, Alexander’s agent, said he will be in contact with the Bengals. "We'll be talking to Shaun today and in touch with Bengals today or tomorrow," Steiner said this afternoon in an e-mail to the Enquirer.
Diehards Line:
The Bengals have a glut of running backs but are believed to be interested in Alexander as a possible backup to starter Rudi Johnson. HC Marvin Lewis also said Chris Perry is ready for on-field work beginning May 13. Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey are the team's other tailbacks. Kenny Irons, the team’s second-round draft pick in 2007, is not expected to be ready for the start of training camp in July after tearing an ACL last August. Given Johnson's injury issues last season (and Perry's career-long injury issues), Alexander could provide some insurance.
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr4')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">T.J. Duckett's Role Still Undefined
(5/8 12:19 PM PT)
The Facts:
Duckett is one of the new components of a running-back equation HC Mike Holmgren is still trying to work out. "He has been a halfback," Holmgren said. "But I would like him to move into fullback a little bit."
Diehards Line:
Duckett's size (254 pounds) makes him unique, and he was an effective and promising back his first four seasons in the league. He averaged nearly eight touchdowns a season from 2002-2005 and gained more than 500 rushing yards in three of those four seasons. Duckett said he's ready for whatever role gets handed to him. "Whatever it is, it doesn't really matter," he said. "Whatever I'm called to do, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability."
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr5')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Cedric Benson Stepping Up His Defense
(5/8 12:18 PM PT)
The Facts:
Benson is stepping up his defense against charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, hiring a new lawyer in Austin. "I do not believe from what I've been told that Cedric was intoxicated," the new attorney, Sam Bassett, said. "I do not believe he was aggressive toward an officer to warrant being pepper sprayed."
Diehards Line:
Bassett will represent him in a preliminary hearing, May 19. ... Benson, in brief interviews, said he has "nothing to worry about because I didn't do anything wrong." He said he was "polite" to the officers -- before and after he they pepper sprayed him. He has declined further comment on advice from his lawyer, but an increasing number of witnesses are coming forward to back his version of events.
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr6')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Shaun Alexander Leaves New Orleans Minus Offer
(5/8 10:47 AM PT)
The Facts:
The Saints completed their visit with Alexander on Wednesday, but he returned home to Seattle without a contract offer. It's unclear how serious the interest is from either side.
Diehards Line:
Alexander, who was released by the Seahawks last month, has just started to test the market. He visited Cincinnati on Sunday and Monday before flying to New Orleans. Alexander's agent, Jim Steiner, said the former league MVP and three-time Pro Bowl player has not set a timetable for choosing a team. Other teams have shown interest, but no other visits have been scheduled, Steiner said. Alexander could wait well into the summer to see if injuries create more of a demand for his services, but his future is almost certainly as a role player.
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr7')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">D.J. Hackett Not Worried About Role
(5/8 10:34 AM PT)
The Facts:
Although his agent has claimed otherwise, Hackett said the Panthers never promised him a starting role, and that he's fine with that. He's just happy to be part of what he sees as a talented group.
Diehards Line:
Muhsin Muhammad and Hackett will both be signficant contributors. Both will play in three-receiver sets, and neither seems to care if he takes the No. 2 or No. 3 role, at least publicly. Still, Observer staffer Stan Olson advised readers not to be surprised if Hackett, the younger and faster of the two, winds up grabbing the most playing time opposite Steve Smith.
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr8')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Antwaan Randle El Expects Rapid Recovery
(5/8 12:26 AM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... Randle El, with crutches under both arms, said Wednesday the surgery on his right knee went as expected and that he hopes to return to the field for offseason practices next month.
Diehards Line:
Randle El said the knee was swollen after mini-camp practice Saturday. An MRI found loose cartilage, possibly the residual effects of getting the knee banged in a couple games last season, and he had arthroscopic surgery Monday. Assuming he's ready to go as advertised, when the team's next round of workouts begin early next month, the procedure is unlikely to have an impact this season.
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr9')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Jason Campbell Closes Camp With Tweaked Hamstring
(5/8 12:25 AM PT)
The Facts:
Campbell has what the team described as a minor hamstring injury. "He just felt it grab, it didn't pull all the way," HC Jim Zorn said. "He was feeling his hamstrings all along, and I think it's because I have him" bending his knees more to stay at one level while dropping back.
Diehards Line:
Zorn was not pleased that Campbell was injured, but "just the fact that different things are happening to his body. ... For me it's good," Zorn said. "He'll regroup. He's not a chronic hamstring-puller in my mind. He's going to be fine." He certainly has plenty of time to recover -- as does Clinton Portis (minor hip injury), who sat out the final practice. Wednesday was the last of three off-season practices that supplemented the weekend mini-camp. More practices are scheduled from June 2-12, with training camp starting in late July.
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr10')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Roydell Williams Still Recovering From Broken Leg
(5/8 12:24 AM PT)
The Facts:
Williams, who suffered a broken right ankle in January, won't take part in organized team activities Thursday and Friday when the Titans begin their workouts. It is not known exactly when Williams will be cleared to take part in off-season work, but when he had surgery shortly after he was hurt, the Titans said at the time they expected him to be fully recovered in time for the coming season.
Diehards Line:
Williams, who started 14 of 16 games last season, developed into one of the Titans' most dependable receivers, tying Justin Gage for the team lead with 55 receptions. He also had 719 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions. As City Paper staffer Terry McCormick notes, his absence from the lineup will give OC Mike Heimerdinger the chance to look at more of the remainder of the WR group that also includes veterans Justin McCareins, Brandon Jones, Biren Ealy, Mike Williams, Paul Williams and Chris Davis.
Diehards Staff
The Facts:
White said his current weight is "anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds from where I need to be." He played in the 245-pound range last season and said he wanted to come to training camp around 230 or 235. "It is way better (than last offseason)," White said. "I want people to keep speculating and keep guessing what I (weigh) because it is great talk. So I am not going to tell people what I weigh, I just want people to speculate." 
