• Home
• Get our widget
• 2008 MLB Predictions
• Contact us
• About Us

• MLB
• NASCAR
• NBA
• NFL
• NHL

 Subscribe

The Rhodes back to Indy

It looks like Dominic Rhodes is heading back home to Indianapolis. Adam Schefter of the NFL Network, says the Indianapolis Colts and Rhodes should come to an agreement sometime soon. If a deal is reached, he’d be the primary back-up to Joseph Addai. This arrangement could only happen thou thanks to the Oakland Raiders, holding to their word. Who thought that would ever happen?

Back in March, the Raiders restructured the contract for the running back to keep him with the team. The restructure was due to a roster bonus he was about to receive, in return for doing this he was given the team’s word that if Darren McFadden was drafted the team would release him and give him a chance to find a new home. Well, McFadden was drafted and the team held to its word and released Rhodes.

There is no word on how much money Rhodes will make in Indy, but I don’t expect to be much. This does spell trouble for last year’s back-up Kenton Keith thou. For those who don’t already know, Keith was arrested last month for refusing to leave a nightclub parking lot. With the drafting of Mike Hart and soon-to-be resining of Rhodes, it appears the team will be looking to part ways with the now troubled Keith.

If Schefter is right, and Rhodes re-joins the Colts, it would be the best scenario for the aging back. Rhodes never really got the chance to prove himself in Oakland, and was very unlikely to see any playing time this season. At least with the Colts, he can expect 5-10 carries to game as Addai’s back-up.

Bengals ink Utecht.

Former Indianapolis Colt’s TE Ben Utecht will be joining the Cincinnati Bengals. His contract calls for him to make $9 million over 3 seasons. The Colts did have a chance to keep the undrafted free agent but decided to let him walk. The Colts tagged him with the low-level tender which gave them the right to match any offers made by another team. Interesting enough the Colts never even responded to the Bengals offered. They just quietly let the deadline come and go like it was never there.

This is a good signing for the Bengals as it gives them their best receiving tight end in years. This should help open things up even more for the big guns at the wide-outs. Not quite sure yet if he’ll start, but at he’ll at least get equal playing time to current TE Reggie Kelly who also makes about the same amount of money. “He is really excited to join the team and make contributions to help make the Bengals a Super Bowl contender,” Utecht’s agent, Chris Murray, told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.

For the Colts look for Bryan Fletcher to take over as Dallas Clark’s backup. Fletcher was drafted in 2002 by the Chicago Bears, but never received any playing time till the 2005 season with the Colts. Since then he’s had 18 catches a season with a total of 5 touchdowns. The team should be fine with him taking over as a backup as he can clearly catch the ball.

Colts likely out of Crumpler race.

It looks like the Indianapolis Colts are now out of the Alge Crumpler race. Yesterday, the team placed the franchise tag on Dallas Clark. And today, they followed that up by signing him to a long term deal. Clark signed a 6-year contract, monetary terms weren’t disclosed. The deal does give the Colts some mobility now when it comes to the salary cap.

The main teams still in the Crumpler race i believe are the NFC South. Especially after Crumpler said he’d prefer to stay in the division. His best chance there would be the New Orleans Saints. I’d also watch the Tennessee Titans in the AFC South too. James Williams, his agent, “I have heard from the Titans, and Tennessee is very attractive to him … It is a well-run organization, and Alge could come in and help them get to the next level if the situation is right.”

The way free agency has started Crumpler is definitely the biggest “story” and most attractive player on the market.

Teams lining up for Alge Crumpler.

The teams are starting to lineup for the services of Tight End Alge Crumpler, who was recently released by the Atlanta Falcons. What teams are showing interest? Well we’ve got the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. I’d say no surprise that all of the Falcons divisional rivals are interested. They each see him twice a year and know the numbers he’ll put up if healthy. While teams are interested thou, no team may speak to Crumpler yet. None of the players made the official NFL waiver wire Friday, and because of President’s Day the league offices are closed, so Crumpler isn’t “free” yet.

Crumpler has already had off-season surgery to repair minor knee problems and should be ready for training camp.He also posted 4-year lows with just 42 catches and 444 yards. But take a look around the league, he still had better numbers then Buc’s TE Alex Smith. While any team that signs him will take on some serious risk, the reward potential is enormous. Especially for a playoff contending team.

All of those teams looking at Crumpler definitely do have a need for a TE. Who knows what this guy has left in him thou, he’s been part of the walking wounded the past few seasons. But yet is still a terror in the red zone. If I were the Colts, Saints or Bucs its something you have to look into. For a team like the Colts, it would open up the field even more for Reggie Wayne, as teams will have to respect the middle of the field. For the Saints the same would hold true, and the Bucs, well they just need a weapon cause that offense just plain sucks.

Copyright © 2007 MySportsRumors.com · Revolution News theme by Brian Gardner · Log in