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Brian Swaw

Training Camp Notes 8/13/2009

Jets HC Rex Ryan shot down rumors that RB Thomas Jones is on the trade block. "I promise you, that is ridiculous," Ryan said. "Shoot, I'm not going to trade that. You know what I'm all about. This guy is huge in our plans. I'm not going to trade the running back that led the AFC in rushing. We ain't dealing him. No way." Honestly, Ryan wouldn't say otherwise even if they were trying to deal Jones. But we don't think he's going anywhere at this point in the offseason.

A ruling is expected to be handed down today in the battery case concerning WR Brandon Marshall and his ex-girlfriend Rasheeda Watley. If convicted, the Broncos receiver could face a lengthy suspension. This could be a huge blow to the entire Broncos offense.

According to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, a source close to the situation does not believe 49ers WR Michael Crabtree will sign before September. "The source said that Crabtree almost certainly will sign, unless he's crazy enough to start skipping game-checks, which he probably isn't, but that it won't be until in the weeks or days before the 49ers' Sept. 13 regular-season opener," Kawakami reports. We wouldn't touch Crabtree unless he fell past the 12th round.

Patriots QB Tom Brady seems to have fully recovered from a torn ACL and MCL. The former Super Bowl MVP will start the Patriots preseason opener against the Eagles tonight. We've been hearing all summer that the knee is fine - that's not the biggest concern. We're more interested in seeing how he reacts when that knee gets bumped around a bit.

Colts HC Jim Caldwell has confirmed that RBs Joseph Addai and Donald Brown will be in ;some sort of a rotation" this season, using one back more depending on that week's matchup. ;It depends on the type of defensive structure that you have to deal with," said Caldwell. This will be a true RBBC. Brown represents the better value as his ADP is almost 4 rounds later than Addai's.

Bears QB Jay Cutler isn't afraid to take command of his new offense. In fact, he wants to pick exactly which WRs he'll be throwing to come Week 1. "If they don't ask me [my opinion], I'm going to tell them what I think," Cutler said. "I have to be the one throwing to them on game day. I have to trust them. But [OC Ron Turner] and I have been on the same page since the start of training camp with what guys we wanted to see work in with me." Cutler can now expect all sorts of favors and gifts from his WRs over the next couple weeks.

Panthers WR Steve Smith was spotted catching passes on the sidelines during practice yesterday. It looks like he got lucky and avoided a serious injury. He should be out there for Week 1 and still makes a fine WR1 for your squad.

According to NFL.com's Jason La Canfora, Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno will start the team's preseason opener Friday against the 49ers. We're not totally sold on this one as Moreno has been in camp less than a week and RB Correll Buckhalter was listed as the team's starter on the preliminary depth chart. But it'd be sweet to see Moreno out there with the 1st-team.

The NFL has suspended WR Donte Stallworth for the entire 2009 season after he pleaded guilty to felony manslaughter. If he's reinstated next year, Stallworth will be almost 30 years old and may have trouble finding a job in the NFL.

Texans WR Andre Johnson reportedly hasn't dropped a single pass in camp this summer. Johnson, who led the NFL in receptions last year with 115, should hover around the 100 mark again this year. And if QB Matt Schaub can stay healthy, he could easily match last year's output.

After attending Browns camp, SI's Don Banks believes that QB Brady Quinn ;certainly looks the part of a franchise quarterback." Banks also added that Quinn hasn't separated himself from Derek Anderson just yet, but the next 2 weeks should be very telling. We always saw this as a QB controversy that really wasn't. It's been Quinn's job to lose from the beginning.