Another day, another crazy round of rumors as most teams around the NFL arrive at training camp and begin to play some actual football. Peyton Manning signs a contract. Plaxico Burress can shop teams instead of cell mates. Tarvaris Jackson is given a starting spot on a team that was very close to the Super Bowl. Yep, it’s time for some explaining on another edition of Quick Hits:
*Perhaps the most intriguing storyline of the day, at least to me, is the Seattle Seahawks head coach calling Tarvaris Jackson his starting quarterback in July. There’s plenty of training camp left, but the hefty draft bounty that the Seahawks paid for Charlie Whitehurst in 2010 has yielded nothing, and if Whitehurst can’t even earn the starting nod once Matt Hasselbeck is gone, then I’d say the ‘Hawks are worse off at the position than I thought. If Jackson to Rice couldn’t make it in work in Minny, they definitely won’t do anything in Seattle.
*The Philadelphia Eagles have signed Cullen Jenkins in a move that just makes the rest of the NFL shake their heads. It’s not as if the Eagles are the Redskins who trade away all of their key draft assets and sign ridiculous free agent contracts. Instead, it’s a team with a solid young core, great lines and a willingness to take risks. And now they’ve added yet another significant free agent to generate more of a pass rush. It’s enough to make every other fan base angry with the lack of movement.
*Plaxico Burress has now met with both the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers. It seems the wideout will have no problem finding a home with a competitive team despite his troubled past and his age. Neither team would waste their time unless Burress had something to bring to the table (besides a gun).
*Defensive tackle Justin Bannan is now a St. Louis Ram, following Josh McDaniels over from St. Louis. We’re not sure what Josh McDaniel has to do with wooing a defensive tackle who didn’t play that well under him in the first place, but it’s clear the Rams are shoring up weaknesses fairly agressively in free agency with their fourth signing. Bannan is 32 and last year had 35 tackles and 1 sack in 16 starts.