Letters from Training Camp

Baltimore - David Reed suspended for the first game; Kelly Talavou released.
Buffalo - Quinton Ganther released.
Dallas - Justin Taplin-Ross released.
Green Bay - Caleb Schlauderaff traded to the Jets; Shaky Smithson placed on injured reserve.
Minnesota - Matt Asiata and Freddie Brown released; Brandon Burton made the cut.
New England - Christian Cox waived, placed on injured reserve.
New York Jets - Zane Taylor released; acquired Caleb Schlauderaff for an undisclosed conditional draft pick.
San Francisco - Sealver Siliga released; Barry Sims not re-signed; Alex Smith named starting quarterback.
St. Louis - Eddie Wide waived, placed on injured reserve.
Tennessee - Robert Johnson and Brett Ratliff released.

Practice Squad

Freddie Brown, Brett Ratliff and R.J. Stanford were relegated to the practice squad as NFL teams cut down to their final 53 man rosters this weekend. Brown was waived by the Bengals during the summer, then brought into the Vikings' camp to fill in for injured players. Ratliff was waived by the Browns later than expected, then signed by the Jaguars. Stanford showed some promising plays for the Panthers, but was the odd man out of the crowd. Kelly Talavou (Ravens) joined Martail Burnett (49ers) on IR and is done for the season.

David Reed secured a spot on the Ravens' roster with his sure hands and kick returning ability. Baltimore waived Demetrius Williams prior to the deadline, then traded Mark Clayton to St. Louis when they signed free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Reed is now listed as a third-string receiver behind Derrick Mason and Donte Stallworth, as well as the second-string kick returner (Stallworth is out with an injury, but Houshmandzadeh has yet to be added to the depth chart).

Quinton Ganther's DUI stop did not stop him from making the Seahawks as a first-string fullback and fourth-string running back. Robert Johnson made Tennessee's team, beating out fellow rookie (and Rhodes scholar) Myron Rolle, and Stevenson Sylvester earned one of many linebacker spots with Pittsburgh.

ProUtes in the Playoffs

Jonathan Fanene had more tackles (4) than Sione Pouha (1 assist), but the Bengals lost to the Jets in their AFC wildcard game. It was the second straight weekend that the Jets celebrated a convincing victory over the Bengals. The Jets get a new opponent this week, and it's a formidable foe: Eric Weddle and the Chargers.

Paul Kruger and Kelly Talavou did not record any stats in the other AFC wildcard game, but the Ravens beat the Patriots and moved on to face the Colts. That means Kruger may get another shot at that [to borrow a phrase from The Office] "arrogant and smudge" Austin Collie!

Over on the NFC side there are no ProUtes in the playoffs. Although the AFC only holds a 10-7 advantage in the number of ProUtes, it's a matter of distribution. There are 7 AFC teams with ProUtes on their rosters, whereas there are only 3 in the NFC (and that's after the Redskins signed Quinton Ganther). The 49ers and Panthers each have 3 ProUtes on the payroll, but the rest of the conference has shown little interest in players from the University of Utah. As a result I have little interest in the NFC playoffs.

Two Birds with One Stone

Another bird team has waived wide receiver Bradon Godfrey. First the Falcons, then the Ravens. Are the Eagles next? Michael Vick could use a receiver like Godfrey to catch passes in practice. The Ravens signed Godfrey on August 15th, then waived him on August 31st to get the roster down to the mandated 75 players as of September 1st. Final cuts are this weekend, when teams have to get down to 53 players. No other Pro Utes were casualties of the 75 man roster, although tight end John Madsen and wide receivers Brent Casteel and Paris Warren were waived earlier.

I've never liked the Ravens, but they do have two Pro Utes on their formidable defense: rookie linebacker/defensive end Paul Kruger and back up defensive lineman Kelly Talavou, so I grudgingly give them credit for that.

Utah opens the 2009 season against Utah State tonight! Go Utes!