Saints rookie RB Ingram bruised heel vs. Colts

Saints head coach Sean Payton didn’t offer a specific injury update on rookie running back Mark Ingram, who suffered a bruised heel in Sunday night’s 62-7 stomping of the Colts according to Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

However, Payton did say that Ingram’s status could affect whether or not the team decides to activate tailback Chris Ivory from the physically-unable-to-perform list.

“It would be predicated on where we feel we’re at with Mark,” said Payton, who said he wants to see how Ingram feels 24-48 hours after the game.

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Cowboys rookie linebacker Bruce Carter on first practice: “I feel 110 percent”

Top five Butkus Award Finalist.

Set the record for a North Carolina linebacker with a power clean of 374 and a vertical jump of 40.5 inches – all-world talent.

Benches 440 pounds, squats 605 pounds and was clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.39 – workout warrior, immensely blessed with God-given ability.

ESPN Mel Kiper Jr’s No. 1 ranked senior outside linebacker prospect for ’11 NFL Draft – injuries were the only reason he was available for the ‘Boys on the second day of the draft.

The skills, gifts, and “look” are all present when look at Cowboys’ second-round rookie linebacker Bruce Carter.

Recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered during his senior season at Chapel Hill, Carter was finally able to practice Wednesday for the first time as a Cowboy.

“I was ready to get out there,” the UNC product said.

Placed on the non-football injury list, Carter was unable to participate in football activities the first six weeks of the regular season. But on Wednesday, he was back out on the field working with the special teams units.

Carter went on to say, “I feel 110 percent.”

In one game against Rutgers during his senior season, Carter tallied seven tackles, a 55-yard interception return and a blocked punt.

It’s clearly evident the former Tar Heel standout can play, now it’s just a matter of getting an opportunity.

“I know all the plays,” he said. “It’s just a matter of getting out there and doing it on the field.”

Needless to say, if he was fully healthy heading into the draft, Carter would’ve been a first-round lock.

With that said, the Cowboys are fortunate he fell to them at pick No. 40 in Round two, and now they’re hoping his “110 percent” can translate to Sundays.

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Kerley, Jets’ Rookie, Gets a Crash Course in Life in the N.F.L.

On Tuesday, in a transaction that Jets players were still talking about Thursday, the team dumped Mason in favor of Kerley, trading Mason to the Houston Texans. Kerley said he was caught off-guard when Mike Tannenbaum, the general manager, told him about the trade.

Kerley, a fifth-round draft choice from Texas Christian in April, is now the Jets’ third receiver and will continue to return punts. He said he was excited about his new role and sounded as if he would welcome a new challenge.

“It’s not really been that hard,” Kerley said of the transition to the N.F.L. “The easiest thing has been the guys trusting in me.”

Before the Jets’ 30-21 loss Sunday to New England, Kerley did not have a reception. Then he caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Mark Sanchez in the third quarter and hauled in two more passes late in the game.

Kerley had moved ahead of Mason on the depth chart, and because the Jets count on their fourth wide receivers to play special teams, Mason, 37, was expendable. Kerley does not have much of a track record, but he apparently has bravado and enthusiasm to spare.

“He works hard. He really does,” Sanchez said. “He studies. He wants to learn. He wants to be a part of the game plan. He’s excited to play. He’s excited to practice, more importantly. I’m really proud of his development.”

Sanchez laughed as he said: “The guy’s got no regard for his body. He’ll just go up and make a catch for you and sell out all the way. He’s a heck of a rookie player. We’ll bring him along nice and easy and not put too much on his plate.”

Kerley said he did not mind how much the Jets ask him to do or care if there was a perception that he was not ready to replace a veteran like Mason — who replaced a Jets favorite, Jerricho Cotchery.

“I’m my own worst critic,” Kerley said.

Asked where he felt he needed to improve, he said: “Route running. Catching the ball. And separation.” These would seem to be three major areas for a receiver, especially one who plays for a 2-3 team that is struggling to score.

“I think he has a chance to be a great wide receiver,” Santonio Holmes said. “He’s doing a lot of great things for us in the special-teams game. He’s proven he can be a physical receiver. He’s small in stature, but he’s one of those guys that can do a lot of things for us. I’m definitely glad he has an opportunity right now.”

Kerley stands 5 feet 9 inches, but the Jets think he can complement Holmes and Plaxico Burress by making tough catches in tight spots. (The Jets are 13 of 40, or 32.5 percent, on third downs in their three-game losing streak; the league median is 37.1 percent.)

“He’s really confident for being a rookie,” said cornerback Darrelle Revis, who faces Kerley in practice. “He knows the offense. He seems very mature. He’s very explosive when he gets the ball in his hands. It’s good we got him here. He scored a touchdown last week, which is great, which gives the offense a charge as well.”

Although Tannenbaum said he and Coach Rex Ryan would continue to evaluate the team’s wide receivers, the Jets did not scurry to find another veteran after trading Mason. They promoted Patrick Turner, who has caught two passes while playing 11 games in three seasons, to fourth receiver and added the rookie Michael Campbell.

“Right now, we’re comfortable with what we have,” Tannenbaum said Wednesday.

Turner said of Kerley: “He’s a really shifty guy. And he’s tough. He’s a tough guy. And he’s young. He has a lot of growing to do, and he will be a good player in this league for some time.”

Ryan made it clear again Thursday that the Jets would have to do a lot of things well, including running the ball, against the winless Miami Dolphins on Monday. Kerley might even be able to help out there, as he has taken practice snaps in the wildcat formation.

Ryan said Wednesday that when talking about trading Mason: “I think that’s what’s being lost a little bit in this: Jeremy, and we all saw it. I know you guys saw it in training camp. He was impressive from the day he got here, and it’s just getting better and better.”

Kerley will do whatever the coaches tell him. He was a high school quarterback and said, “As soon as I got to T.C.U., I knew I wanted to take the role of having the ball in my hands.”

He said he was enjoying his N.F.L. career, and not just because he has become a pleasant surprise for the team. He said of playing football: “It’s not something everyone can do. If you get the opportunity, be happy with it.”

EXTRA POINTS

Center Nick Mangold, who returned from an ankle injury Sunday, did not participate in practice for the second straight day, but Rex Ryan said he expected him to play against the Dolphins. “It’s going to be like this for a couple of weeks,” Ryan said of Mangold’s routine.

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Rookie Richter: Which WRs are catching on?

After A.J. Green and Julio Jones were picked in the top six of the 2011 NFL Draft, everyone expected to hear their names early in the season.

And those two have lived up to the hype — for the most part.

At the same time, several other rookie wide receivers, from second-round picks to an undrafted free agent, have made an impact through two weeks of football.

Watching tape and using our “Rookie Richter” scale, here are a few players we think have made some serious waves thus far.

Draft: Fifth-round selection, Tennessee
Games: Week 1 – Vs. DEN: Won, 23-20, Week 2 – At BUF: Lost, 38-35
Season stats: Nine targets, five catches, 146 yards, TD

Moore has jumped into the starting receiver rotation because of an injury-riddled receiving corp. Moore has flourished with his chances. Moore is physical enough to get off press coverage and sneaky fast when he gets a free release in the slot. With Brandon Lloyd-like athleticism, Moore makes plays and always looks to get up the field after the catch.

Richter rating: 8.2
Aftershock: 7.5. Huge breakout game against Buffalo, but it will be tough to top that impact. Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey return shortly.

Draft: First-round selection, Georgia
Games: Week 1 – At CLE: Won, 27-17, Week 2 – At DEN: Lost, 24-22
Season stats: 18 targets, 11 catches, 165 yards, 2 TDs

Green understands route running — a rare trait for a rookie. He understands the subtleties of head movement and how to use his size and arms to manipulate corners. Green demonstrated an ability to beat press man and get on top of the cornerback, but conversely has one of the fastest hitch routes in the league.

Richter rating: 7.5
Aftershock: 8.5. Andy Dalton and Green are growing with chemistry and confidence weekly. Green is a superstar in the making.

Draft: Second-round selection, Kentucky
Games: Week 1 – Vs. NO: Win, 42-34, Week 2 – At CAR: Won, 30-23
Season stats: Four targets, four catches, 60 yards, TD

Cobb is a livewire — but a playmaker. A kick goes eight yards deep into the end zone, he returns it for a TD. He runs the wrong route — touchdown. Rookie mistakes have been turned into big plays because of his skills. Still, he is too undisciplined to be an every-down player in a deep receiving corps in Green Bay.

Richter rating: 7.2
Aftershock: 6.1. Because of his frenetic play, we don’t expect a major impact from Cobb on a weekly basis.

Draft: First-round selection, Alabama
Games: Week 1 – At CHI: Lost, 30-12, Week 2 – Vs. PHI: Won, 35-31
Season stats: 14 targets, seven catches, 100 yards

Jones has all the attributes — size, speed, strength — but we have yet to really see explosiveness in his play. With his skill-set, you would expect more dominant ball skills. He will certainly have more opportunities in that offense, because he actually got on top of Asante Samuel and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Richter rating: 6.7
Aftershock: 7.0. Jones has faced a brutal Chicago defense and an all-star secondary against Philadelphia, and he’s stronger because of it.

Draft: Second-round selection, Boise State
Games: Week 1 – At TB: Won, 27-20, Week 2 – Vs. KC: Won, 48-3
Season stats: Eight targets, five catches, 89 yards

After a quiet Week 1, Young became a big part of the offense in Week 2. Young is the Lions’ No. 3 receiver, and while the Lions love two tight-end formations, Detroit utilized three- and four-receiver sets — with Young on the outside. With coverage pulled toward Calvin Johnson, Young was targeted seven times last week and earned plenty of respect for his physical play versus Brandon Flowers.

Richter rating: 6.0
Aftershock: 7.1. As more multiple receiver threats are utilized, expect Young to be the deep-play threat in Detroit.

Draft: Second-round selection, North Carolina
Games: Week 1 – Vs. CIN: Lost, 27-17, Week 2 – At IND: Won, 27-19
Season stats: Eight targets, five catches, 50 yards

Little gets off the ball quick and is very explosive — however he is not a refined route runner yet. Little is an excellent athlete and breaks tackles after the catch, running mostly underneath routes. But you can tell he is young (and a converted running back at UNC), because he still has trouble distinguishing between man and zone coverage and tailoring his routes to them.

Richter rating: 5.8
Aftershock: 6.8. Little has only scratched the surface with his play-making abilities.

Draft: Fourth-round selection, Hawaii
Games: Week 1 – Vs. PHI: Lost, 31-13, Week 2 – At NYG: Lost, 28-16
Season stats: 11 targets, five catches, 48 yards, two drops

Salas is being utilized as an oversized Wes Welker. He runs a lot of speed outs and shallow crossing routes from the slot, though he also got down the seam last game and failed to connect with Sam Bradford. A special teams contributor — returning and covering punts — he muffed a punt last week vs. the Giants.

Richter rating: 4.3
Aftershock: 5.1. Bradford loves his underneath receivers, and with Danny Amendola out Salas should get targets.

Draft: Undrafted, Ohio State
Games: Week 1 – Vs. ATL: Won, 30-12, Week 2 – At NO: Lost, 30-13
Season stats: Eight targets, four catches, 39 yards, TD

Sanzenbacher is quick — but not super fast — which makes him ideally a slot receiver. He is a short to intermediate route runner — but will not stretch a defense, which makes him a bit out of place in Mike Martz’s system and the verticals routes he runs. His first career touchdown was a blown coverage.

Richter rating: 3.8
Aftershock: 4.3. Sanzenbacher won’t ever wow you, but he will run the routes over the middle and be a reliable checkdown for Jay Cutler.

Draft: Fourth-round selection, Abilene Christian
Games: Week 1 – Vs. NE: Lost, 38-24, Week 2 – Vs. HOU: Lost, 23-13
Season stats: Six targets, no catches

Gates was drafted to replace Ted Ginn‘s speed and special teams abilities. He has shown an ability to take the top off the defenses — however Chad Henne struggles throwing the deep ball. Of the 10 “go” routes Gates has run thus far — pre- and regular season — they’ve only connected on one. And Gates seems a little fearful of contact, especially on returns, where he is hesitant to hit holes at full speed.

Richter rating: 1.8
Aftershock: 2.1. Gates has gotten open on the deep ball, but who knows if Henne can connect.

Draft: Second-round selection, Maryland
Games: Week 1 – Vs. PIT: Won, 35-7, Week 2 – At TEN: Lost, 26-13
Season stats: One target, no catches

Smith doesn’t seem to be on Joe Flacco‘s radar. Smith was open several times down the seam and down the sideline vs. the Titan’s Cover 2 defense, but Flacco looked elsewhere. Smith doesn’t play physical, runs high and his hands are suspect.

Richter rating: 1.1
Aftershock: 1.9. Smith’s production can’t get lower. He was open last week, but didn’t get the ball.

“Playbook”, the ultimate football Xs and Os show, airs Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Check the NFL Network broadcast schedule for further details. Follow “Playbook” on Twitter @NFLN_Playbook.

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Steelers rookie RT Gilbert regrets shaky debut

Published: September 19th, 2011 | Tags: Marcus Gilbert, Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers, Raheem Brock, Ramon Foster

Rookie OL Marcus Gilbert‘s first day on the job for the Steelers was, at times, a little bit more Woody Allen than Damien Woody.

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The second-round draft pick out of Florida, making his first start at right tackle, allowed a drive-killing sack in the first quarter of the Steelers’ 24-0 victory over the Seahawks — but it was his next gaffe, late in the first half, that had the Rooney family squirming.

Seattle’s Raheem Brock escaped past Gilbert to blast low into Ben Roethlisberger‘s right knee, leaving the QB twisting in pain on the ground.

“It was a miscommunication,” Gilbert told The Associated Press, before turning to fellow lineman Ramon Foster for support.

Said Foster: “I told him, ‘I got (Ben’s) nose broken last year.’ It’s just one of those things, don’t let it happen again. I think he’ll learn from it.”

If Roethlisberger was annoyed by Gilbert’s debut, he didn’t show it, saying he “did a great job.”

While it was predicted that rookies would be living in a world of chaos following a lockout-addled offseason that prevented them from adapting to the pace and demands of NFL play, this was more the case of learning on the job with a Steelers offensive line riddled with injuries and early season issues.

– Marc Sessler

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