NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Here is a list of a few players, both veteran and rookie, that I think will have outstanding seasons and will contribute in whatever success the Chargers have.

Veterans:

With a somewhat disappointing rookie season behind him, outside linebacker Larry English is hoping that he can avoid the sophomore slump and make a few more plays than just 36 tackles and 2 sacks. His time will come to prove that he was worth the 16th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

After playing for four teams in the past six years, cornerback Donald Strickland is hoping to have finally found a place to lay his head. San Diego should receive some solid cornerback depth with the addition of Strickland to the defensive backfield.

Wide receiver Legedu Naanee finally received some solid playing time for the Chargers last year, ending the season with 24 receptions and a touchdown. I expect him to be even more effective this year as his role in the offense continues to expand and he becomes more of a consistent target for Philip Rivers.

Rookies:

Well obviously the first-round draft pick, Fresno State running back Ryan Matthews. He's going to be splitting carries and playing time with Darren Sproles during the regular season, and should be able to make an outstanding impact in San Diego's struggling run game.

With the unsure future of Kevin Ellison, fourth-round draft pick, Kansas strong safety Darrell Stuckey, has been getting solid practice time with the first team defense. He's a ball-hawking safety that could be a big sleeper for the Chargers if given the opportunity.

Taking over not only Jamal Williams' old position, but also his number, fifth-round draft pick, North Carolina nose tackle Cam Thomas, is hoping to work his way into the rotation and prove that he shouldn't have still been on the board on the final day of the draft.

Undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu, former teammate of Mathews at Fresno State, has also shown some glimpses of playmaking ability since the beginning of rookie camps and OTAs. He even has full support from Mathews himself. "He's a little overlooked. At Fresno State, we didn't pass much. His speed killed him (in the draft process). He has game speed. He has sure hands. If I trust anyone with that long pass with two seconds left, it would be Seyi," Mathews said.

Just a bonus… I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one… Although he isn't exactly a player that has yet to break out, kicker Nate Kaeding will hopefully overcome his fears this year and be able to make a field goal when it matters… The playoffs! (This is assuming they do make the playoffs) He missed three field goals in their heartbreaking loss to the Jets in the Divisional Playoffs last year. Any one of those field goals going between the uprights would have evened up the score, and another would have given them the win.

Carolina Panthers:  SEC Rookies, Former Appalachian State QB-WR Dynamo, and 2nd-Year Safety.

At first thought I was like, why not Dante Rosario?  You figure Carolina would be more apt to utilize the TE being Steve Smith is their only proven receiver, coupled with the fact that either much anticipated young blood Jimmy Clausen or incumbent Matt Moore will be taking snaps under center for the Cats in 2010.  Right?  Ever since his game-winning touchdown grab which propelled the club to an upset victory against San Diego in the 2008 opener, I, along with many others have expected him to breakthrough in a big way.  

At times I’ve been lured to wow in awe when watching this athletic specimen perform, but have more times than not come away wondering asking myself, “Was Dante even on the field today, was he invisible?”  I’ve been a victim of the “Dante Rosario High Hopes Syndrome”.   I have moved on.  I can no longer think this way.  So instead of the underachieving one-hit wonder Rosario, I actually decided to go with a bevy of players for Carolina:

- Brandon LaFell, WR (LSU):  Dwayne Jarrett isn’t cutting it and LaFell was a flat-out steal in Round Three.  He has the prototypical size you want in a possession receiver who could move the chains on 3rd down.  He also gives you a big and strong enough target in the red zone.   He will be everything Jarrett was supposed to be and everything the inconsistent Rosario isn’t.  I truly believe LaFell will develop into the sure go-to option down inside the 20 for jump balls.  5 or 6 touchdowns isn’t out the reach for this former Louisiana State Tiger standout.  John Fox will love his blocking and he will be the given the opportunity to shine as the second option at wide out next to Steve Smith.  The only potential thing hindering him back may be the coaching staff, who may not see the “it” factor in LaFell right away.   

- Eric Norwood, LB (South Carolina)/Greg Hardy, DE (Ole Miss):  Both players have the knack to get the quarterback.  They possess the innate ability to make a difference when it comes to 3rd down passing situations.  Drafting Norwood in the Fourth Round was a gem.  Hardy in the Sixth Round, an absolutely highway robbery, a theft, what a coup.   Norwood will be a menace at either OLB or DE.  His ability to play two positions will help his cause for early playing time.  He and Hardy will be difficult assignments to handle because of their quickness off the ball.  Look for these two former SEC defenders to make life tough for opposing QB’s for not only this year, but for plenty of years to come in the NFC South.

- Dexter Jackson, WR/Return Specialist and WR Armanti Edwards:  Remember these guys at the “Assassination in Ann Arbor”?  They helped pull off one of the all-time greatest upsets in College Football history –its widely considered one of the biggest shockers ever, in any realm of sports.  Anyways, Dexter Jackson has new life coming over from Tampa Bay, where he was labeled as a second round bust.   He has the chance to prove his worth and answer doubting critics.  

Armanti Edwards is changing positions, converting over from QB to WR.  This kid is tough and sees the field really well –with his elusive ability he’s excellent in open space.  Both are raw, but both have tons of upside.  Jackson will turn heads as an electrifying return man.  Edwards will be in on a handful of timely gadget plays on offense as well as having his part in the slot.  Look for these former teammates to reunite and open eyes making many reminisce to the Saturday afternoons when they were making plays all over the field for Appalachian State.  The return of a killer dynamic duo?  Without a hesitation of a doubt, the skill level is clearly evident.   

- Sherrod Martin, Starting Free Safety:  Chris Harris’ replacement is a superb athlete with tremendous range and coverage skills, having the ability to go get the ball in the air.  He made waves early on as a rookie, making his first start at Arizona, picking off two Kurt Warner passes en route to the team’s triumph over the Cardinals.  This year he will be making headlines more often, as he is being called upon to start next to fellow safety Charles Godfrey, whom he filled in for in the starting line-up.  Expect him to raise eyebrows pairing up with Godfrey forming a solid play making tandem in the secondary for Carolina along with the uber-talented Chris Gamble.  The sky’s the limit for Martin, he’s got all the potential in the world, and he will show it off in year two for John Fox’s attack.

When you thinking shaving, you think Gillette, not those other brands that do a sub-par job at giving us a close shave while protecting our skin. Something that's always been a hurdle for product makers in the past has been the "tug and pull" dilemma. The ProGlide, part of Gillette's ProSeries, packs significant enhancements, that not only address the skin, but the hair as well. So what separates this new razor from the Gillette Fusion or other ones from years past?

First, and perhaps most importantly, the blades have been re-engineered to be 15% thinner, with finer edges and have been given an advanced low-resistance coating, allow the razor to cut effortlessly through hair with less tug and pull compared to other leading razors on the market. Other enhancements include a larger Lubrastrip for an even smoother layer of protection even when on repeat strokes, as well as the addition of a Microcomb, which helps to guide hair directly to the blade.

The Fusion ProGlide goes on sale in a manual and Power option next month, but Gillette's actually been kind enough to give some of you guys out there the opportunity to grab one for free. A total of 500 razors are up for grabs, which you can grab below. It's pretty simple, hit the widget, follow the instructions and get yours for free. No gimmicks!

Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton is unhappy with his role on the team and how it’s treated him, and he isn’t afraid to say something about it. And he says he wants to change not only roles, but teams. Crayton said he felt betrayed with how Dallas tried to deal him during draft weekend without letting him know.

He is also displeased with having to compete with Miles Austin, highly touted rookie Dez Bryant and Roy Williams for playing time. So Crayton said he wants to be released immediately. “The thing is, you want to be wanted,” Crayton said. “So in order to be wanted and felt wanted … why would you go to a place that you’re not feeling that way? I’m not sure if I’m wanted or not wanted.”

Owner Jerry Jones said earlier in May that the team has no intention of releasing Crayton right now.

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LenDale White’s possible four-game suspension was NOT the reason, or at least the primary reason, for his release yesterday, this according to Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com.

A source told FOXSports.com that White, despite losing over 40 pounds this offseason to lower his weight to 219, had a work ethic in Seattle that “stood out like a sore thumb.”  The media outlet reported that White did test positive for a substance, but it wasn’t known whether it was a performance enhancer or if it was a recreational drug.