ESPN Insider Peep Show 12-02

[bubba9497]

Peep Show

By Darrell Trimble

ESPN Insider

http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/story?id=1675984

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Joe Jurevicius appeared to come back from a serious knee injury suffered in Week 2 when he returned to the lineup on Nov. 16, but his comeback only lasted two games. Jurevicius missed Sunday night's game against the Jaguars because his knee swelled during pregame warm-ups and complications with the injury could cause him to miss the rest of the season. "He gets the fluid taken out, he gets treatment, he looks back to normal, he resumes running and the swelling returns," coach Jon Gruden told the Tampa Tribune. "It's been a real frustrating situation for Joe and for our team." The Bucs likely will place Jurevicius on injured reserve.

Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Mark Brunell has sufficiently recoverd from elbow surgery and is healthy enough play, but barring a pair of injuries, he's seen his last action as a Jaguar. Coach Jack Del Rio said the franchise's leading passer will finish out the season as the inactive third quarterback behind Byron Leftwich and David Garrard. "My thinking is that we have two young quarterbacks that have been getting all of [the practice repetitions] and are getting better, and they represent the future of the Jaguars,'' Del Rio told the Florida Times-Union.

Detroit Lions: WR Charles Rogers is expected to be placed on injured reserve today, ending his rookie season. Rogers injured his collarbone during a non-contact drill during the Lions bye week and has not played since. Because the bone is not healing as quickly as anticipated, Rogers has not been able to lift weights and do other conditioning work, making a return this year unlikely. The bone is healing slowly," coach Steve Mariucci told the Detroit News. "But as you rest your arm and inactivate it in a sling, you really can't do much in terms of weight training and strength training, so his upper-body strength is down. His fitness level, his conditioning, is down naturally. You can't run sprints. Even if he could play in a week or two because the bone is feeling well enough, his physical conditioning is lacking."

Green Bay Packers: SS Antuan Edwards has a partially torn hamstring and will probably miss a minimum of two games. Edwards, who has started all but two games at strong safety this season, was injured on the first play from scrimmage in the second half of the Packers' 22-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. Doctors have told Edwards they will have to wait 10 days to two weeks before they can make a determination whether season-ending surgery is necessary. "The hamstring has four different muscles and I tore one of them," Edwards told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Right now I have to be patient. They'll re-evaluate me and see how it goes. After that, they'll make a decision whether to do surgery or let it heal." But even if Edwards doesn't have to go under the knife there is no guarantee the hamstring will heal in time for him to play again this season.

Washington Redskins: QB Patrick Ramsey plans to test his injured right foot in practice Wednesday to see if he'll be able to play in Sunday's game against the New York Giants. "I took the cast off today," Ramsey told the Washington Times. "It's a little bit sore still. I'm going to try to practice on Wednesday. If it doesn't work out, we'll put it back in the cast and evaluate it Saturday or maybe after the game." ...DT Darrell Russell said he will give Washington the first chance at re-signing him after he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. "Whether we get to free agency or not, the Redskins have the first crack," Russell said. "I wouldn't disrespect them like that. They gave me an opportunity and a chance, so if I'm going to go anywhere, my first place is to go here, go to the table and see how things go."

Chicago Bears: RT Aaron Gibson was taken to the locker room on a cart Sunday during the fourth quarter of a victory over the Arizona Cardinals, but a MRI Monday showed that the injury isn't serious. The Chicago Sun-Times reports there is no structural damage to his sprained right knee and he will not miss any significant time.

Denver Broncos: Former CB Deltha O'Neal didn't exactly have the desired impact the team had hoped when they moved him to wide receiver, catching one pass for three yards in Sunday's 22-8 win over the Oakland Raiders, but coach Mike Shanahan is confident that he can expect better performances as his familiarity with his new position increases. "He doesn't know the offense at all," Shanahan told the Denver Post. "But we are trying to put him in situations with limited packages where he feels pretty good about what he is running. So we might have him in there for 10 or 12 plays, and on those 10 or 12 plays, he knows what he's doing. But I'm sure he has no idea what anybody else is doing." Shanahna also said that because WR Chris Cole is injured O'Neal will get more playing time.

San Francisco 49ers: RB Garrison Hearst tore the lateral meniscus (cartilage) in his right knee in Sunday's 44-6 loss to the Ravens and will have arthroscopic surgery today. Hearst walked with crutches and had the knee in a soft brace Monday but probably will be out of action for Sunday's game against the Cardinals. In Hearst's absence, RB Kevan Barlow will finally get his wish of carrying a larger role in the offense. "Kevan's going to be the guy this week,'' coach Dennis Erickson told the San Francisco Chronicle. "He'll probably carry it 20-some times. He wanted this opportunity; it's here. Unfortunately, but it's here.''

Tennessee Titans: MLB Rocky Calmus suffered a broken right fibula early in the second quarter and is probably out for the rest of the season, according to the Nashville Tennessean. The loss could be a major one for the Titans because with Calmus the Titans have been able to stay in base defensive packages against three wide-receiver sets rather than inserting an extra defensive back with their nickel package.

[BD]

I think Russell would be a good sign, as long as it's cheap. 2 years, $1.5.