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Which Team Will Give a Second Chance to Plaxico Burress?

Published: May 20, 2009

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Another NFL superstar is still on the market as training camp inches closer.  Plaxico Burress has yet to find any suitors as he awaits trial for his felony gun charge. 

 

Two years after catching the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII, Burress is still looking to find the one team to give him a second chance.

 

Unfortunately, according to Mike Sando’s blog an ESPN, no one in the NFC West is interested in Plaxico’s services.

 

But what if they were?  I believe that Plaxico Burress would fit nicely into all four of the NFC West teams, including the Seattle Seahawks.

 

St. Louis needs a WR to compliment Donny Avery, their second-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.  Who better than a guy who could command double-teams to help free up your other wide receivers?

 

If Marc Bulger can still sling it, then I could see Plaxico having a huge impact on a young Rams team. 

 

However, with new head coach Steve Spagnuolo’s philosophies of team values and character, this definitely does not seem like a place that Plaxico Burress would be wanted.

 

The San Francisco 49ers could definitely use another tall wide receiver to compliment Michael Crabtree.  Although they have Isaac Bruce, remember he is in the last year of his contract.  The trio of Crabtree, Burress, and Bruce could vault the 49ers into NFC West contention.

 

However, 49ers continue to look for strong team players to fit Mike Singletary’s head coaching style.  After sending Vernon Davis to the locker room for lack of hustle, do you think he could tolerate Plaxico Burress?

 

The Arizona Cardinals look to bounce back after coming within two minutes of Super Bowl victory.  With Kurt Warner back and Anquan Boldin appearing to be on his way out, this move could benefit this Arizona Cardinals team.

 

The tandem of Larry Fitzgerald and Plaxico Burress is scary enough, but throw in Steve Breaston, and you could see a dominant Arizona Cardinal offense.

 

Do not expect Burress to be in an Arizona Cardinals uniform this season, however. The Cardinals are hopeful they can get a deal done with Boldin, which would leave out the possibility of adding Burress.

 

The Seattle Seahawks have addressed their need at wide receiver this offseason by adding free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh and drafting speedy WR Deon Butler. 

 

However, with so many questions surrounding the health of both Nate Burleson and Deion Branch the Seahawks could use a gifted athlete like Burress.

 

Imagine this depth chart:  T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Plaxico Burress, Deion Branch, and Nate Burleson. It would be a formidable offense, especially with the return of a healthy Matt Hasselbeck.  

 

However, I see no way that Tim Ruskell augments his philosophy of only signing high-character players, especially since Burress may not even be able to play this next season if he is found guilty for his gun charge.

 

Plaxico Burress should get his second chance, but which team will give it to him?


Seattle Hold Keys To NFC Driver’s Seat

Published: May 7, 2009

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2008 was supposed to be the magical ride of a lifetime for Mike Holmgren.  In his final year of his contact, this was the year he would finally win it all with Seattle.  He had all the pieces back from a decent 2007 defense, a solid offense, and a quarterback who just finished his best season statistically as a pro (3,966 yds, 28 tds, 9 int.)  However, things quickly came apart as Seattle fell to 4-12 and failed to make the post season for the first time since 2002. 

Now begins the Jim Mora era in Seattle.  

The Seahawks have had the best off season this year in the NFL.  Tim Ruskell, who many in Seattle felt needed to have a huge off season to keep his job, filled every need his team had before the draft. He started by signing the best WR in T.J. Houshmandzadeh, then a wide load DT in Colin Cole, and finally trading an aging Julian Peterson to the Lions for DT Cory Redding. 

Despite being loved by the fan base in Seattle, the Peterson trade erased a deficit by created another opportunity to bolster a defensive line and leaving the door open for Seattle to draft Aaron Curry, unanimously the best player in the 2009 Draft.  The Seahawks also managed to draft Max Unger who should help solidify an offensive line that has not been the same since the departure of Steve Hutchinson.  

The Seahawks will enter 2009 in the same division as the Super Bowl runner-up Arizona Cardinals.  While it is hard to imagine a complete falling out by the Cardinals, remember that since 1999, only one team has earned a birth in the post-season the following year (2006 Seattle Seahawks). 

The division has historically belonged to the Seattle Seahawks before being passed onto the Arizona Cardinals last year.  This year’s schedule is not as brutal as last year’s, when the Seahawks had to face arguably the two best divisions in football (AFC East and NFC East).  The Seahawks should have a much better season with the improvements on defense and offense.  I see them finishing first with a record of 12-4.

The Seahawks have the pieces necessary for a deep run in the playoffs.  With new head coach Jim Mora’s run first mentality and his defensive minded philosophy, the Seahawks are going as far as the 3 Linebackers take them.  If Aaron Curry is the player we all believe he will be and Leroy Hill forget his off season, then these Seattle Seahawks could be the best team in the NFC.  

Seattle also will rely heavily on Matt Hasselbeck.  He is the glue that holds the offense together.  If he returns to his pro bowl caliber self, he will be the reason the Seattle Seahawks could hold the Lombardi Trophy in February.

However, if this team get plagued by the injury bug as last year, then we are looking at déjà vu for the 2009 Seattle Seahawks. 

The Seahawks could also face a daunting task of playing three straight road game in November, which could be the playoff death sentence if the Seahawks go 0-3. 

The Seahawks are also one of the only teams in the NFL with no 1 p.m. start time for their games played on the East side of the country.  Historically, the Seahawks have been terrible at 10 a.m. games, going 1-3 last year with their only win coming against a team with a worse record, St. Louis. 

Seattle also rolled the dice by not drafting a decent QB in case of Matt Hasselbeck’s injury being far worse than we thought.  Seneca Wallace, who proved he was a decent starter last year, is not the answer in Seattle.  If the Seahawks are forced to play that hand, you are looking at another sub .500 season.


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