Five NFL Players Whose Stock Has Risen
Clifton Brown - SportingNews.com
Sep 01, 2009
Thankfully, preseason is winding down. As we await the Steelers-Titans game Sept. 10 and the rest of Week 1 of the regular season, here is a look at five players who have raised their stock the most in training camp and exhibition games:
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
Brett who? Rodgers proved last season that he was ready to take over as the starting quarterback. And every year, the 49ers' decision in 2005 to draft Alex Smith instead of Rodgers looks worse
This could be Rodgers' breakout year, judging by his preseason play that has been off the charts: 27-of-38 passing, six touchdowns, no interceptions.
"He is a hell of a quarterback," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "You can just see the way he plays, day in and day out. I definitely think he has matured, and I think we can quit talking about it. I think he is a mature man now. Let's make it official."
Rodgers says the Packers can carry their offensive momentum into the Sept. 13 regular-season opener vs. Chicago and beyond.
"It's exciting," Rodgers said. "People are going to say it's preseason. We've been downplaying it a little bit, but this is the dress rehearsal for the season.
"You can't help but be excited in Packer Nation."
Ray Rice, RB, Ravens
Rice is now the Ravens' starting running back -- beating out Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain -- after impressing the coaches during offseason workouts, minicamp and training camp.
"I'm personally excited, because (of) all the work that I did in the offseason," Rice said.
Rice added muscle and stamina but has not lost any quickness. The Ravens have an impressive threeback rotation of Rice, McClain and McGahee. Rice could be the leader in carries and production, and he also is an excellent pass catcher. On Saturday night at Carolina, Rice had eight catches for 67 yards.
"I don't see any limits for him," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "I'm really interested to see, too, what kind of running back he can be. He works really hard at it, he makes the most out of every day, he's enthusiastic, he loves football and he's talented. It's going to be fun to watch."
Troy Williamson, WR, Jaguars
A bust for the Vikings as a '05 first-round pick, Williamson has matured and the Jaguars might reap the benefits. He has been a consistent deep threat in preseason, giving the Jaguars a dynamic they sorely need.
"We're going to be more aggressive, throw the ball more," Jaguars quarterback David Garrard said. "That's what we need to be able to do offensively, to take some of the pressure off the running game."
Chris Henry, WR, Bengals
Henry's career has been plagued by off-field issues, but nobody denies his talent. With three preseason touchdowns, Henry is showing he could help fill the void left by the departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
"I think he is a much better player now than he has been for us in the past," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said of Henry. "There are still some areas we want Chris to get better at, and I think he realizes that. He wants to be in that starting group, and he is working very hard to try and earn his way into that starting group.
"He has to keep doing everything right and not making mental errors and that sort of thing. He has to know the right routes, the correct depths, the correct breaks and who to block and then go execute it. He's working very hard at that, and that's a good thing. He's a better player than he was, and he has a lot more potential left."
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Steelers
Mendenhall is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry in preseason, but that is misleading. Coach Mike Tomlin wanted to see Mendenhall run with force, even when opposing defenses stacked the line of scrimmage. Mission accomplished.
Mendenhall had a 12-yard run and a 13-yard run against the Bills, hitting holes hard, instead of tiptoeing and looking for openings. Lead back Willie Parker has been a workhorse for the Steelers, but he needs someone to ease his load. Mendenhall, who missed most of his rookie season with a broken shoulder, could be that guy.
"He's decisive with the football, he's running downhill, he's finishing runs violently," Tomlin said. "I'm not displeased in any way with what he's doing."
Clifton Brown is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.
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