Off Season moves Impact on Ex-Buckeyes in the AFC East

Off Season moves Impact on Ex-Buckeyes in the AFC East
Ted Ginn Jr Dolphins

Off Season moves Impact on Ex-Buckeyes in the AFC East

After every season since free agency began, the NFL teams shuffle the deck in an effort to get ready for the next season. This year is no different. 

By Bill Smith

This week, we look at the status and 2008 prospects of former Buckeyes for the upcoming season in the AFC East. Over the next few weeks, we will look at those in the other divisions of the NFL.

Buffalo

      Fox, Dustin S 3y

      Whitner, Donte SS 3y

      Youboty, Ashton CB 3y

      After the 2005 season, the Bills stocked up on ex-Buckeye defensive backs. Whitner was a surprise 1st round choice and Youboty was drafted as well. Whitner has established himself as a hitter and will continue to start at SS. Fox was resigned as a restricted free agent and should make the team as a reserve.

      However, this year the pressure on all holdover DB's will is heavy. The Bills, not known as big spenders of the NFL, signed 2 UFA DB's (CB Jason Webster NE, and CB Will James: UFA Eagles) The team has told Youbody this is THE critical year for his future with the Bills. Then the Bills drafted 3 more CB, Leodis McKelvin in the first round, Reggie Corner and Kennard Cox on Sunday. Youboty will have to show a lot to make the team as a backup. 

      Youboty started a couple of games last year due to injury but then fell victim to an injury himself. That allowed Jabari Greer to start and he never gave up the spot. In his two years with the team, Youboty has had several injury problems. He has the skill set to be a starting CB in the league but has never produced the big plays he made for the Buckeyes. 

Miami

      Ginn, Ted WR/KR 2y Ted in under some pressure as well. The surprise announcement of Ginn as the first round pick in the 07 draft was met with boos from the Dolphin faithful who wanted QB Quinn. Before the 07 season, the Dolphins traded Wes Welker to the Pats and during the season they traded Chris Chambers to the Chargers. Ginn was pressed into starting before he was really ready. He had missed a lot of the preseason work because of the injury sustained in the Championship game.

      Starting 9 games, he preformed fairly well on a really bad team catching 34 passes for 2 TDs. He also averaged 22.7 yards per kick return and 9.6 yards on punts. The coach and GM were fired after the 1-15 season. Now Ginn faces a new administration that has no emotional attachment to the former 9th overall pick. The Dolphons have signed two veteran WR—Former starter Ernest Wilford, a UFA Jaguars to a $13M/4 year deal and Tab Perry an untenderd RFA from the Bengals.

      Ginn is now health and with a full preseason under his belt, he should begin to produce the results that his athletic ability indicates he is capable of.

New England

      Vrabel, Mike LB/DE 12y

      Vrabel is the most versatile player on any defense in the NFL. Vrabel has been all-pro at the flex position standing up as a OLB and getting down into a 3 point stance as a DE. Last year he forced 5 fumbles and totaled 77 tackles and 12.5 sacks. During his career, he has also caught 8 passes for the Pats all of which were TDs. 

      Help is on the way for vet. The Pats drafted 2 outside linebackers Jerod Mayo out of Tennessee with the first pick (10) and Shawn Crable from Michigan and inside candidate Bo Ruud from Nebraska. Vrabel will need help because the one younger starter LB Rosevelt Colvin was released because he failed the team physical. In addition, Vrabel's surviving running mates are all as old as he is. He will start this year but get a chance to rotate with the younger players. He has also proven himself to be a great mentor to younger players and will help them develop. 

New York Jets

      Mangold, Nick C 3y

      Nugent, Mike K 4y

      Vernon Gholston OB R

      Mangold, the second round pick of the Jets in 06, immediately took control of the center position and has become a probowl level player. He has helped stabilize what had been a very shaky line. 

      Nugent has been consistent and has shown a bigger leg than scouts gave him credit for prior to the 05 draft. In 3 years he has hit more than 82% of his attempts.

      The Jets were holding their breaths hoping that Gholston would fall to the 6th choice. He is being counted on to improve a pass rush that produced only 29 sacks in 07 and couldn't get away from a lamp post. Gholston had 14 sacks in fewer games last year. He had a very good first rookie camp. He was assigned #56 which carries negative connotations from the past players that wore it including former Buck Anthony Schlegel, a third round pick that was cut after his rookie year. Gholston, who has said he is not superstitious, looks forward to changing the reputation of 56.

      He should beat out Bryan Thomas, the 2002 first round pick that has never performed to justify that pick. Thomas started 14 games last year and had 2.5 sacks. The only question is how soon the change will happen. If Gholston signs early, he will be the starter on opening day.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://BrutusReport.com. He has also published several novels on http://ebooks-library.com/index.cfm and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com

 
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