Tackle Ugoh and guard Pollak may compete for starting job

Since the Indianapolis Colts released longtime starting offensive left guard Ryan Lilja, tackle Tony Ugoh and guard Mike Pollak have been feeling that they were facing a second chance to return to starting lineup. With the training camp less than one month away, both players are preparing for a possible competition for the starting role.

Ugoh and Pollak have several similarities with each other. Both were former second-round picks: Ugoh was drafted in 2007 and Pollack was picked in 2008; and both were formerly starters at their own positions but lost the starting jobs last season due to low productivity. Ugoh lost the starting OLT job to Charlie Johnson and Pollak lost his starting right guard job to Kyle DeVan after they lost favor with former offensive line coach Howard Mudd.

But they could also face threatens from someone outside the team. Free agent Andy Alleman, who recently decided not to wear back the Vikings jersey for 2010 season, was invited to visit the Colts and try a chance for a new job. With experience of stating two games at right guard and one game at left guard, Alleman is no better than either Ugoh or Pollak, but is no worse, either. So he is having an equal chance in the competition.

Chargers WR Jackson is likely to be traded

The San Diego Chargers will not hesitate to trade unhappy wide receiver Vincent Jackson if he really carries out his plan to skip the whole 2010 NFL regular season in dissatisfaction with not receiving a long-term contract. Or, the team may start trade talks even before the player carries out the plan.

According to reports, the Chargers have been reached by several teams with interests in Jackson. The buyers unsurprisingly include the Seattle Seahawks and surprisingly also include the Minnesota Vikings. Remaining a restricted free agent, Jackson does not seem to like the idea of playing football in Vikings jersey with a group of big-name receivers. He is in hope for a considerable long-term deal matching his starting role, not a backup role in an elite team. By comparison, the Seahawks have always been looking for qualified starting receiver. They previously contacted Brandon Marshall for possible cooperation but Marshall finally was traded to the Miami Dolphins. Now for the second chance to get a great wide receiver, the Seahawks could make a bigger offer to allure Jackson and so they are likely to give Jackson what he wants.

The Chargers will still have a big group of wide receivers even after Jackson is traded away. Whether the remaining receivers are as great as Jackson, their obedience will at least make it easier to run the team.

Vikings’ newly signed rookies do not include RB Roehl

Spending the last weekend with all the Minnesota Vikings newly drafted rookies and other undrafted free agents invited to have a tryout, running back Tyler Roehl from North Dakota State took off the temporary Vikings jersey and left the minicamp without an offer from the team.

Upon receiving the invitation from the Vikings, Roehl was excited about having a chance to compete for a new job with an elite team. He was hoping to get a job as fullback in Minnesota, but it seemed that the same reason for the Seattle Seahawks to release him last year also caused the Vikings not to keep him. Having a torn ligament in his left knee in his rookie season, Roehl will have to continue hunting a new job with other teams for his second season.

If we view only Roehl’s performance during college football career, he is really a brilliant running back. In the two seasons with the NDSU, he rushed totally for 2,512 yards and 34 touchdowns. He also set a school record in 2007 by rushing for 263 yards in a game against the University of Minnesota. The game was held at exactly the Vikings current stadium, the Metrodome.

CB Sheppard had deal done with Vikings to backup Griffin

A deal was done between former New York Jets cornerback Lito Sheppard and the Minnesota Vikings and brought the nine-year veteran who was selected to Pro Bowl twice into the No. 26 Vikings jersey. Therefore, the Vikings have less concern about the cornerback while starter Cedric Griffin is still recovering from a knee injury.

With the addition of Sheppard, the Vikings now have as many as three secondary cornerbacks and one starter while waiting for Griffin’s return. Antoine Winfield and backups Benny Sapp and Asher Allen is now facing a more furious competition for possible starting job at cornerback in case Griffin is unable to return in time for the regular season. According to reports, the injury suffered during the NFC championship game might cause Griffin not to be ready for the start of the season. And as a former first-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002, Sheppard has gone to the playoffs in six of his eight seasons and does have great chance to be named the interim starter.

The Jets did not show any intention to retain Sheppard when this offseason started and the major reason is that he did not give a satisfying season for being impacted by injuries. That’s definitely not what the Jets expected when they acquired him in a trade with the Eagles. Spending seven seasons with the Eagles, Sheppard worked with current Vikings head coach Brad Childress who then was the Eagle’s offensive coordinator for four years. Having a great impression with Sheppard, Childress is believed to make the main efforts in prompting the Vikings to sign Sheppard.