NFL Capsules - NFC: Favre back in Minnesota
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Brett Favre's latest summer of indecision finally appears to be over.
Favre arrived in Minnesota on Tuesday and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in a Vikings helmet and red quarterback's jersey when the team takes the field for practice on Wednesday.
In a scene nearly identical to his signing with Minnesota a year ago, Favre took a private plane from Mississippi on the Tuesday following the Vikings' first preseason game, was followed by news helicopters from a suburban airport to the team headquarters and was greeted by dozens of fans and media members upon his arrival.
"Helicopters acting like they are following O.J.," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe tweeted. "Where is the bronco."
The big difference? His signing with the Vikings — Green Bay's bitter NFC North rival — was a stunner to most observers who watched Favre torment Minnesota for so long as a member of the Packers.
This time around, virtually everyone expected the quarterback who spends every summer on the verge of retirement to return for a 20th NFL season.
Favre's latest dalliance centered around an ankle that was injured in the NFC championship game loss to New Orleans in January. Favre had surgery on his left ankle in June and told teammates and team officials earlier in August that he didn't think he had another full season left in him.
This is the third straight summer the Vikings have dealt with questions about Favre, so they weren't convinced he was done. The team sent Jared Allen, Steve Hutchinson and Ryan Longwell — three of the 40-year-old quarterback's closest friends on the team — to Mississippi to woo Favre one more time, and it appears to have worked.
Despite Favre's late afternoon arrival at Winter Park, the Vikings did not hold a news conference on Tuesday or put out a statement officially announcing the quarterback was returning for another season.
The Vikings instead issued a media schedule for Wednesday, announcing that coach Brad Childress will hold his regular news conference following practice. The team also said that a "media availability with QB Brett Favre is to be determined."
Now it's time to see if the old man can do it all again.
The gray-haired Favre turned in one of his best seasons of a terrific career last year, throwing 33 touchdowns with seven interceptions to lead the Vikings to the NFC North title. He threw for 310 yards and a touchdown against the Saints in the Superdome, but also threw an interception in New Orleans territory at the end of regulation that cost them a chance at a winning field goal that would have put Minnesota in the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years.
After getting cajoled by Allen, Hutchinson and Longwell, Favre will have one more shot at redemption and a second Lombardi Trophy.
Assuming that Favre hits the practice field on Wednesday, it will mark the one-year anniversary of his arrival to the Vikings, a move that sent shockwaves through the NFL.
Yet even though everyone assumed he would be back, the same hysteria surrounded his return on Tuesday. Fans clogged Viking Drive, and police tried to control traffic and keep youngsters and television cameras from spilling onto the street.
Last year, Childress picked up Favre from the airport. This year, Longwell was the chauffeur, and fans tried to mob his black BMW SUV as he pulled into the driveway at Winter Park.
"Brett Favre for President!!" receiver Bernard Berrian tweeted.
He'll have to settle for quarterback for now.
Even though he will turn 41 in October, Favre doesn't figure to need much time to get warmed up and ready for another season. He skipped all of training camp last year before ending another retirement and joining the Vikings. The three-time MVP delivered a season even he didn't expect.
He set career bests in completion percentage (68.4), quarterback rating (107.2) and fewest interceptions, while throwing for 4,202 yards. The Vikings (12-4) earned a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs, and Favre became the first 40-year-old QB to win a playoff game with a four-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys.
If healthy, Blackmon provides versatility for Pack
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Sometimes, Will Blackmon's versatility even surprises his teammates.
Exhibit A came early in training camp, when wide receiver Greg Jennings ran his route and plowed straight into a safety. Then Jennings looked up and did a double-take.
"He looked up and said, 'Safety?,'" Blackmon said. "He said, 'I didn't know you were at safety.' I said, 'Yeah, they're not getting rid of me.'"
Blackmon spent the offseason preparing to move from cornerback to safety, although he'll still try to get some snaps at cornerback when the Packers deploy their nickel and dime defenses. And he'll try to play a featured role in the Packers' return game.
If he can stay healthy, that is.
Blackmon is less than 10 months removed from surgery on his left anterior cruciate ligament, the latest and most serious in a string of injuries that have held back the 2006 fourth-round pick out of Boston College.
Blackmon has been a sporadic participant in Packers camp so far. But he was practicing Tuesday after an extended absence, and insists he will be ready for the Sept. 12 opener at Philadelphia.
"It's not even a concern about the opener," Blackmon said. "The main thing is just make sure that I do this, come back strong, do it right. Because I will say this whole injury is a nine to 11 month (recovery). I'm in month nine. So I could sit there, be cool and be prideful, and be like 'I came back in seven months, I came back in eight months,' tell them how strong I am. The bottom line is, six-seven-eight-nine-10-11 months, as long as you're ready by the first game, that's the most important thing."
With depth issues in the defensive backfield and a need for a consistent threat in the return game, Packers coach Mike McCarthy hopes Blackmon can get back on the field consistently — and stay there.
"I had a chance to watch Will out there today," McCarthy said. "He looks really good in the return game. It was good to have him back there. But Will is definitely a factor at the safety position and the corner position. It's good just to get Will healthy and hopefully we can stack some practices with him."
Injuries have limited Blackmon to only 32 regular-season games in four seasons.
Foot problems plagued him in 2006 and 2007 but he had a productive 2008, playing 16 games and scoring twice on punt returns. Then he sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 4 last season.
"Unfortunately and fortunately, I've gone through something before," Blackmon said. "Obviously this is the major one of them all, but I'm still here, I have confirmation from the doctors that I'm going to be back to elite form. Because that was my main concern when I got hurt, it was like, 'Aw, man, will I be the same, will I be elite?' And then as I started progressing, I started getting more and more confidence."
Blackmon credits a unique nutritional program for his quick recovery this time around.
"I grew up, I had digestive problems, I lost my mother to Crohn's, which is a digestive disease," Blackmon said. "So my main thing is I wanted to make sure that my system was OK."
So Blackmon said he started working with an enzyme chemist.
"I feel like that kind of sped up a lot of stuff," he said. "Because for me having all my situations, like non-contact, like self-inflicted (injuries), then there must be something wrong with me internally, so we were trying to figure that out and we thought that was one of the things that could help."
Blackmon admits he still has something to prove. It's one thing to identify the calls he'll need to make as a safety in the meeting rooms, and another thing to do it quickly and correctly on the field.
Defensive coordinator Dom Capers acknowledged that Blackmon is in a tough spot.
"It's been awful hard," Capers said. "I mean, it's hard for a guy that's played the position not getting reps. But a guy that's making a move and not getting reps, it's extremely hard."
But Blackmon is confident he can make his mark this season, both in the defensive backfield and on special teams, where the Packers are trying to create competition in the return game.
"The bottom line is, I'm still here," Blackmon said. "They've still got to compete. I know what I've done. So I'm making sure I get myself back to full strength so that I can continue to do what I was doing."
-- Chris Jenkins
Lions TE Pettigrew rehabs knee in hopes of playing
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Brandon Pettigrew thinks the Detroit Lions could have a spectacular offense this season.
He's waiting for a chance to become part of it.
The tight end is working toward a full recovery from the knee injury that ended his rookie season on Thanksgiving Day. As has become customary when the Lions have two workouts on the same day, he sat out the morning session on Tuesday before practicing in the afternoon.
"We don't want to take the risk of doing anything that might set him back," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "We're only going to have him working once a day, and there will be some days that we sit him out entirely. This isn't a situation that we are going to rush."
Pettigrew would love to be working with the first-team offense in every drill, but knows that wouldn't be a good idea.
"I know that I have to take things slow, because this wasn't a soft injury," he said. "I don't want to hurt this again."
Pettigrew missed large chunks of last year's training camp with minor injuries, but says it has been easier to keep up this season.
"When you can't practice as a rookie, it is really tough, because you don't know the system and you aren't used to the other players," he said. "This year, I don't feel like I'm falling behind. I know the offense and I know what is expected of me."
After Pettigrew was hurt last season, the Lions couldn't find anyone to take the defensive pressure off Calvin Johnson, but that shouldn't be a problem this season. Not only do they expect Pettigrew to return, they have added wide receiver Nate Burleson, tight end Tony Scheffler and rookie running back Jahvid Best.
"I think there is big stuff about to happen on this offense," Pettigrew said. "With all the guys we've got out there now, the sky is the limit."
Pettigrew is also excited by the development he's seen in his fellow sophomore — quarterback Matt Stafford.
"He came in with a lot of poise and he's always been a very decisive player, but he's definitely stepped up over the offseason," Pettigrew said. "This could be a big year for him."
Schwartz expects big things out of Pettigrew, as well.
"I think he is right on track with his recovery, and he's looked good when he's been out there," he said. "Because of the time he missed last year, it took him a while to get on track, but there were a few games last season where he was playing as well as any tight end in the NFL.
"Then he got hurt, so that slowed things down, but he's coming back. He's great for us, because if you throw the ball in his zip code, he's going to catch it and make a play."
Notes: The Lions had to cut their morning practice short because they were short of healthy defensive backs after safety Randy Phillips had to leave while dealing with flu symptoms. Detroit has been nagged by injuries in the secondary throughout camp, and has never been able to get their top group on the field at the same time. ... Schwartz said that Pettigrew, S Louis Delmas (groin) and LB DeAndre Levy (back) might make brief appearances Saturday in Denver. All three sat out the preseason opener last weekend in Pittsburgh. "We'd like to get them in, but it might just be a cameo," he said. "It will depend how they feel later this week." ... The Lions signed DE Korey Bosworth Tuesday morning and waived DE Jason Hunter. Bosworth, an undrafted free agent out of UCLA, is the nephew of former college star and pro flop Brian Bosworth.
Eagles WR Hall capitalizing on military experience
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — He learned to be precise. He learned to prepare more diligently than everybody else. And he learned to work with a team toward a common goal.
All the things Chad Hall is engaged in this summer at Philadelphia Eagles training camp he already experienced over the last two years — and quite far from the football field.
Hall, one of the biggest surprises of camp, finished his college career at Air Force in 2007 and spent the last two years as a maintenance officer and second in command with the 421st fighter squadron, part of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, Utah.
Unable to play for two years, Hall served his military commitment repairing and maintaining the Air Force's largest fleet of combat-ready F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.
"It really is a lot like football," Hall said. "Be accountable, make sure you prepare, trust that others are doing their jobs. There are a lot of similarities. You don't care who gets the credit, you just work together for a common goal."
Hall was the 2007 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year after rushing for 1,478 yards and catching 50 passes for 524 more yards. But he had to serve a minimum 24-month commitment just to apply for early release from the Air Force.
He loved the work, saying he "always wanted to be around jets," but desperately missed football.
"It was tough," Hall said. "Real tough not playing football for two years. It was especially hard watching the game and knowing I wasn't able to play. We had squadron sports, and I played squadron basketball and stuff like that, but obviously it's not the same. I just kept working hard, kept pushing and hoping that one day I'd have a chance to prove myself."
Hall got that chance this spring when he was invited to work out for the Eagles, and they liked what they saw from the speedy 5-foot-8 hybrid tailback/receiver/returner.
Hall made the most of his first football game in 32 months in the Eagles' 28-27 preseason win over Jacksonville on Friday night.
He compiled 82 yards of offense after halftime, including a 57-yard catch from rookie quarterback Mike Kafka and a 22-yard run from scrimmage to go with two punt returns for 14 yards and three kick returns for 63 yards.
"I thought when given the opportunity, he could play all of the positions: running back, receiver and the return game," head coach Andy Reid said. "I thought he excelled in all of them. ... He had a productive day."
Hall knows he'll need many more productive days to survive final roster cuts later this month. As a 24-year-old undrafted rookie who's shorter than most of the Eagles' ball boys and plays two positions where the team is well stocked, Hall knows he faces long odds.
"I've always felt like I've had to outwork everybody to accomplish what I've accomplished so far," Hall said. "I'll always have that edge mentally, that I have to keep pushing, I can't take breaks.
"Height and size are God-given. You can't control those. But you can control how hard you work. Just go with what you've got, and dream big."
Panthers gambling with position switch for Beason
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Jon Beason has played in the Pro Bowl the past two seasons. He set a Carolina franchise record last year with 169 tackles, displaying the speed, aggressiveness and hard-hitting that have made him one of the NFL's top middle linebackers.
So why in the heck would the Panthers move him to another position?
Look in the middle of the field at training camp these days and you won't find Beason. Instead, he's been shuffled to weakside linebacker in a gamble coach John Fox believes will make up for a key injury — while not limiting the effectiveness of perhaps his top defensive player.
It's left Beason, a team leader and one of the few veterans left on the NFL's third-youngest team, scrambling around camp like he's a rookie again.
"I'm making strides every day," Beason said as sweat poured down his face following Tuesday's practice. "The beauty of it is we're still installing, so every day I get a new challenge. It allows me to be a rookie again. I have to be on my toes, have to be in my (play)book. This camp has been eventful."
Beason then chuckled as he pointed toward Thomas Davis, who walked off the field following another day of rehabilitation as he recovers from his second torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a year.
When the speedy Davis went down again in June, the Panthers decided to put reserve Dan Connor at middle linebacker and shift Beason to Davis' old spot. The weakside linebacker, who lines up on the side of the field away from the tight end, is a key position. Not having to deal with as many blockers, he's supposed to collect numerous tackles in defensive coordinator Ron Meeks' Cover-2 system.
"I feel comfortable with him at any linebacker spot," Fox said of Beason. "He's a guy we know the most about. He's got the most history with us. He's got the ability to play at any of those spots."
Beason played at weakside some in college and early in his rookie season with Carolina, but had reached a comfort level in the middle. While not thrilled with the change at first, he's accepted it.
It's just taken longer than he thought to figure everything out.
"I didn't think there would be that much of a (learning) curve," Beason said. "Not so much as it's new, just trying to get that comfort level where I can play free and not think as much, be more instinctive."
The key difference is responsibility on plays.
"I have to be a little more disciplined when I'm playing the weakside," Beason said. "When you're the (middle linebacker) you have to have the ability to go both ways based on the play. At (weakside) sometimes they run away from you and you have to sit back and contain. So some plays I can't be as aggressive."
Then there's the issue of the defensive playcalling. Beason has worn the helmet radio to get the defensive signals in the past. He said he plans to continue to wear the headset, but Connor will make the defensive checks just before the snap.
"I think the guys are familiar with my voice in the huddle," Beason said. "It's good that Dan gets to make the calls because it makes him feel more like a (middle linebacker). Getting people lined up, making checks is something he can handle. He's a quiet guy by nature, so getting him talking more is good."
Beason also stressed that he's not finished playing middle linebacker. He said four of five defensive packages have him in the middle, mostly when extra defensive backs are used on passing downs.
"It all depends on what kind of game it is," he said. "If we jump up seven to 10 points, they're probably going to go three or four wide receiver sets where I'm probably going to be the (middle linebacker) the whole game."
But at the start of games he'll be on the outside. He said he felt OK playing there in last week's exhibition opener at Baltimore, taking issue with ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, who criticized him when he appeared to be out of position.
"I didn't have any mentals as far as my responsibility," Beason said. "It was a little slippery out there. I slipped on one play where Gruden referred to me as a fish out of water. I appreciate it. It's just a little added motivation, more fuel to the fire. When I see coach Gruden I'll let him know how I feel about it."
You can change Beason's position, but can't take away the intensity that's helped him collect 488 tackles in three NFL seasons.
"This is just a part of football," Beason said. "Somebody goes down and the No. 2 guy steps up and performs when it's his turn."
-- Mike Cranston
Bucs RB Ward guarantees improved performance
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Derrick Ward sounded more like a rookie determined to make an NFL roster for the first time than a one-time 1,000-yard rusher who's being counted on to add some pep to Tampa Bay's sluggish running game.
The seventh-year pro struggled during last week's preseason opener at Miami and is eager to atone for a 12-carry, 20-yard, two-fumble performance in the mud that sparked questions about his future with the Buccaneers.
It also prompted Ward to guarantee he'll play better at home Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"The field position we were in when I was in was just terrible. The mud was up to the top of my ankles," said Ward, who's entering the second season of a four-year, $17 million contract he signed as a free agent in March 2009.
"But you can't make excuses. You've got to play, and you've got to do what you need to do to win."
And that's exactly what Ward, who turns 30 on Aug. 30, said he intends to do after playing a limited role in the offense in his first season in Tampa Bay.
A year removed from gaining 1,025 yards for the New York Giants while he and Brandon Jacobs were becoming only the fourth pair of NFL running backs to rush for more than 1,000 for the same team in the same season, Ward ran for 409 yards and one touchdown as a backup to Cadillac Williams in 2009.
Despite getting more production than anticipated from Williams, who ran for 823 yards after undergoing major knee surgery for the second time in just over a year, Tampa Bay ranked 23rd in rushing and 28th in total offense.
Ward reported to training camp this month, vowing to leave a disappointing year behind and team with Williams to give the Bucs a more potent ground attack.
He insists he's not concerned about last week's performance against the Dolphins costing him in his bid to earn more playing time.
Clifton Smith and Kareem Huggins, who rushed for 55 yards on eight carries in the preseason opener, are also competing for jobs behind Williams.
"I've been in this league for a while, and I know what it takes to win. I know what it takes to get back on track," Ward said. "That was just a fluke game. But I guarantee you this weekend, I'll have a great game."
Ward, who averaged 1.7 yards per carry and lost one of his two fumbles against the Dolphins, was visibly frustrated on the field.
Coach Raheem Morris said he was displeased with some of Ward's "body language," and that the running back apologized to him and general manager Mark Dominik.
"That's the mental demons you've got to fight as a player. Those are the things you've got to be ready to deal with. You've got to have a mentally tough attitude," Morris said.
"As a man, Derrick was disappointed in himself ... and subsequently wants to improve that this week," the coach added. "He'll get a chance to."
-- Fred Goodall
Rams' Grant likes new spot at weakside linebacker
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Larry Grant is quickly becoming the most surprising member of the St. Louis Rams' all-Ohio State linebacking crew.
It's only been one preseason game, but Grant has already started to impress.
In a 28-7 loss to Minnesota on Saturday, the 6-foot-1, 251-pound Grant had four tackles, including one for a loss, two passes defended and a special teams tackle. That was enough for the 25-year-old player to catch coach Steve Spagnuolo's eye.
"Larry showed up in the game. He's done some versatile things," Spagnuolo said. "Anytime you can do that, you help yourself as a linebacker and you help yourself as a team."
Now in his second full season with the Rams, Grant is finding a comfort zone. Grant learned the system installed by Rams defensive coordinator Ken Flajole last year and has found his stride so far in this preseason.
"It's working out," Grant said. "I did my best. Everything, I'm picking up a lot better. If you do what you're supposed to be doing, everything will fall into place."
It's been a slow climb for Grant.
The San Francisco 49ers drafted him in the seventh round after he played two seasons at Ohio State. Before joining the Buckeyes, he spent two years at City College of San Francisco, where he was the national junior college player of the year. In four college seasons, Grant played in four national championship games.
He was signed to the Rams' active roster from San Francisco's practice squad on Nov. 26, 2008, and played in two games on special teams. Last year, Grant again spent time mostly on special teams, seeing action in all 16 games during a 1-15 season.
Grant has made the move during training camp from strongside to weakside linebacker. He is on the first-team defense with fellow Ohio State teammates James Laurinaitis (middle linebacker) and free-agent pickup Na'il Diggs (strongside linebacker).
"We all have the same tradition," Grant said of his college teammates. "Being at Ohio State, they taught us to learn to love football a lot more."
Grant said the move wasn't difficult, and he has found a home at weakside linebacker.
"It wasn't too big for me because I was here last year and I just didn't pay attention to my job," Grant said. "I tried to learn as much as I could about the defense and the other linebacking jobs. It's been a cool transition so far."
Grant wants to stay with the first team unit and knows it's not something to be taken for granted.
"Right now, most of my thoughts are on just trying to get better every day," he said. "You've just got to go out there and go at it."
He wants to keep playing on special teams, too.
"Every play counts in a game," Grant said.
Laurinaitis isn't surprised to see Grant succeed.
"Playing with him at Ohio State, I knew he had a ton of talent," Laurinaitis said. "He's crazy athletic. It's just a matter of consistency with him. It was awesome for me to see him play so well against Minnesota. We'll see how he continues to do.
"I think he's excited about his opportunity and he's looking good so far."
With training camp in its third week, Grant acknowledges you have to keep grinding to get through the workouts, meetings and film study.
That is all part of being a starter.
"On days when it's too hot and you're tired, you got to work," Grant said. "You got to put all that past you and do the best you can. You've got to make yourself be the best player you can be today and every day. My expectations for myself are high.
"This year is different. I want to win, and that's what I'm here for."
Balmer calls leaving 49ers 'a little different'
SEATTLE (AP) — It only took Kentwan Balmer a meeting with Mike Singletary, a few days of unexcused absences from the 49ers and then a trade to get a new NFL life in Seattle.
The 23-year-old is not sharing the reason for his rift with the team that drafted him in the first round just two years ago.
"You're very persistent, man," Balmer said when pressed for an explanation by The Associated Press on Tuesday, after he passed a physical with the Seahawks and then practiced at defensive tackle and end with the second unit.
A first-round pick that disappears from the team, then resurfaces with its division rival seems to need more of an explanation.
"Yeah, I can understand why it strikes people as a little different," Balmer said. "But what happened down there is down there. I'm here, ready to move forward, happy to have a fresh start and out there ready to compete."
The first day of his new NFL life showed his versatility on the defensive line, one day after the 49ers traded him for a late-round draft choice next year.
It also showed his elusiveness.
"I would just like to thank the Seattle Seahawks for this chance. I would like to thank the 49ers for allowing me to move on," said the 29th overall pick out of North Carolina in 2008. "I'm just here, happy and ready to compete."
Balmer said "I'm just happy to be here" seven times in a five-minute span while continually being asked what happened in San Francisco, which gave him an $8 million, five-year contract in 2008.
He did admit that getting traded inside the NFC West was odd.
"Oh, yeah, of course," he said, chuckling. "It does seem funny. Like I said, I'm happy to be here. And it seems like they like me a little bit."
He left the 49ers on Aug. 9 for what coach Singletary called personal reasons. He missed his fifth straight practice Friday before San Francisco traveled to Indianapolis for its exhibition opener against the Colts.
His absences had been unexcused since Wednesday. That was the night he met with Singletary, yet he remained a no-show in camp.
What was it like for a third-year pro to confront his coach, a Hall of Fame linebacker renowned for his intensity?
"Like I said, what happened in San Francisco was in San Francisco," Balmer said.
"I think this is a first-class organization (in Seattle). I think I mesh well with the people here."
Singletary wasn't much more revealing about what happened. He's moved on, too.
"I think he's a fine young man. But obviously there are some things he needed to express and deal with," Singletary said. "I'm happy for him."
Playing time and an unknown future are plausible reasons Balmer wasn't happy with the 49ers. He has yet to start a game and has recorded no sacks in his first two NFL seasons. He has 11 career solo tackles and has combined on eight others in 27 games in San Francisco's 3-4 defense.
Now, the 6-foot-5, 315-pounder is in Seattle's 4-3 scheme that uses principles of the 3-4 and wants run-stuffing defensive ends. Balmer was that for a while on the first day of his new NFL life, banging into prized rookie left tackle Russell Okung, the Seahawks' sixth overall draft choice. Balmer also spent time at tackle.
He says this is the style of defense he played in at North Carolina. He was an end his first two years for the Tar Heels, then a tackle his last two.
That versatility attracted then-49ers general manager Scot McCloughan two years ago. McCloughan is now with the Seahawks, the right-hand man to new GM John Schneider.
"We have strong connections to the 49ers," Schneider said, "and it is our understanding that Kentwan is ready to play football and in need of a fresh start."
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says Balmer provides another option against the running games inside the NFC West. The Seahawks are so intent on getting bigger across the defensive line, they have converted Red Bryant from a backup tackle into a 335-plus pound end.
"He's really physically capable of standing up against big, ol' linemen that we're going to play in our division," Carroll said of Balmer. "We feel real good about him getting in here and starting to help us right away."
Maybe not as soon as Saturday's preseason game against Green Bay, though. By the end of Tuesday's 2-hour workout in 89-degree heat, Balmer was bent over between plays and gasping. Yet he says he's fit to play this weekend.
Asked if his "personal reasons" from last week are now resolved, Balmer said: "Yes, sir. I would definitely say so. I had some time to stay in shape and get my mind right."
The Seahawks host the 49ers in the opener on Sept. 12. But Balmer says he isn't seeking to get even.
"There's no hard feelings," he said. "I thank the 49ers for giving me the opportunity and allowing me to move on."
-- Gregg Bell
Skelton, Hall battle for Arizona's No. 3 QB job
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The tall and short of it is that the fight between two rookies for Arizona's No. 3 quarterback job goes on, despite John Skelton's smashing debut.
The tall would be the 6-foot-6 Skelton, a raw talent with a rocket arm from Fordham who was Arizona's fifth-round draft pick. The short, relatively at least, is savvy, 6-foot-1 Max Hall, who went undrafted despite throwing for 11,382 yards and 80 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter at BYU.
Skelton rallied the Cardinals with two late fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the game-winning 15-yard TD pass to Jason Wright with 1:53 to go, in a 19-16 victory over Houston on Saturday night. Hall didn't take a snap in the game.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt says that he doesn't expect to make a decision on a third-stringer until after the final preseason game.
"I think it's going to be something that plays out over the next three weeks," he said on Tuesday. "Max will hopefully get his shot this week to see what he can do. We'd like to play John as well just to see how he reacts to having played well the first game. But I can't say for sure how it's going to all play out."
The Cardinals play at Tennessee next Monday night.
Skelton may look like a prototype NFL quarterback, but there are plenty of success stories for smaller players at the position.
"There's a difference in body type between Peyton Manning and Drew Brees," Whisenhunt said, "and they're both excellent quarterbacks."
Hall, who grew up in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa and transferred to BYU from Arizona State, just appreciates the chance.
"They've been really fair and given me a lot of reps, especially for an undrafted free agent, fourth quarterback coming in," he said. "They've given me a lot of good reps, a lot of looks. The coaches have treated me really well. I get along great with all the players. So I've had a great experience so far. It's been a really fun deal to be a part of this."
Skelton, from El Paso, Texas, is the first Fordham player to be drafted since 1968. Coming from an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA) school, he has had some problems with the complexities of the Cardinals playbook.
"I think the first week of training camp I felt pretty comfortable because a lot of those plays we did during OTAs and minicamp so it was already the second time I'd seen them," he said. "But once we entered the second week of training camp, that's when we started putting in new plays again, that's when I felt like I was spinning. ... I would say maybe Tuesday through the Friday before the game I was a little frustrated, my head was spinning a little."
Whisenhunt stripped down the offense for the game, giving Skelton a better handle on the situation when he entered the game in relief of backup Derek Anderson in the fourth quarter, with Houston up 16-6.
Skelton's first play was a 20-yard completion to Stephen Williams, igniting a 73-yard touchdown drive that cut it to 16-12. On Arizona's next possession, Skelton displayed that powerful arm with a 36-yarder down the sideline to Max Komar. On fourth-and-5, Skelton kept the drive alive with a 10-yard completion to Andre Roberts to set up Wright's TD catch.
The big Texan completed 5 of 6 for 84 yards.
Regardless of who was playing on defense, the performance was a confidence booster all around.
"It definitely shows to myself as well as the coaching staff and other players that I belong, that I at least have some idea of what I'm doing out there," Skelton said. "It kind of eases the rest of training camp and the rest of preseason."
Up until the game, Hall probably had the edge on Skelton in training camp, particularly in his grasp of the offense. After all, he came from one of the most proficient passing offenses in college football.
"It's tough but I've studied hard and I think I've got it down," Hall said.
Skelton and Hall have been told the Cardinals want them both to be on the team.
"They've told me if I keep doing well they're going to want to keep me," Hall said, "so I've just got to worry about me and hope that's the case and make them have to keep me."
-- Bob Baum
Gore welcomes Westbrook into 49ers backfield
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Before San Francisco added free agent Brian Westbrook to its backfield this week, the 49ers made it a point to consult with Frank Gore first.
The two-time Pro Bowl running back, who has led the team in rushing each of the past five seasons, quickly gave his blessing.
"I thought if he could help my team get better and help us go to another level, I'm fine with it," Gore said Tuesday after San Francisco's single practice. "He's been a great back in this league for a long time. I already started asking him questions, but I feel he can help me get better."
Westbrook signed a one-year deal with the 49ers on Monday and was greeted by a loud applause from 49ers fans attending the team's open practice Tuesday as he trotted onto the field for the first workout with his new team.
The former Philadelphia Eagles star took part in individual drills and did some light running but spent much of the two-hour workout as a spectator while Gore and rookie Anthony Dixon handled the reps on offense.
"The hardest thing to do is sit on the sidelines and watch but that's probably the best way to learn," Westbrook said. "Hopefully it's quick, and I'm gonna do everything I can to make it as painless and as quick as possible."
San Francisco needed help in its backfield after the surprisingly abrupt retirement of Glen Coffee after one year.
Even when Westbrook is up to speed with the power-based running game the 49ers employ, he'll remain an understudy to Gore. Coach Mike Singletary made that point clear when San Francisco announced the Westbrook signing.
Gore, a third-round draft pick in 2005, likes leading the 49ers' ground game but welcomes the addition of a back with the experience of Westbrook.
Westbrook led the NFL with 2,104 yards from scrimmage in 2007 but his production dropped dramatically last season when he missed eight games with a pair of concussions and an ankle injury.
"I know that we needed another back and he was the best one out there, and we feel that he can help our team," Gore said. "I watched him a whole lot, especially when he was in Philly because he was a guy I had to compete against for yards and receiving yards. He watched me in practice (today) and I asked him to help me with the things he sees that I can carry over on the field."
Singletary didn't rule out the possibility of using both Gore and Westbrook in the same backfield. In addition to 5,995 career rushing yards, Westbrook also has 426 receptions for 3,790 yards in eight seasons.
Gore, who already ranks fourth on the 49ers' career rushing list with 5,561 yards, is averaging more than 52 catches over the past four seasons. The potential explosiveness that he and Westbrook present should pose a significant challenge for defenses.
"A lot of weapons," Gore said. "We do have personnel like that, with two halfbacks in the game. Both running backs out of the backfield can catch the ball well and I think that's going to be great."
Notes: K Joe Nedney kicked on his own but it's still uncertain if he'll play in this week's preseason game against Minnesota. ... TE Vernon Davis (strained knee) rode a stationary bicycle but did not take part in any team work. ... WR Michael Crabtree (neck) did some light work during individual position drills. ... WR Ted Ginn Jr. is still being looked at as a possible punt returner but Singletary said he prefers Ginn focus on returning kickoffs.
