Our NFL players

[UKFBFAN]

I search and find little on how our graduates are doing. Steve Johnson from Buffalo has gotten some publicity; mostly because he is so engaging and was used for a video they made. He looked happy and did a good job as spokesman. What have you heard?

[TylerM35]

Last time i checked Wesley Woodyard was not featured on the Denver Broncos roster where he signed as a free agent which makes me sad because he was my favorite player of all time besides fan favorite Woodson.

[srhill2]

Anyone that didn't hear, Burton signed. Its a good step. He is my fave from that year because I have followed him since he was my high school QB. His attitude and drive that you see in interviews is honest. He is one of the most mentally strong players to come through uk and deserves his pro career as much as anyone.

[ryanebelhar]

Last time i checked Wesley Woodyard was not featured on the Denver Broncos roster where he signed as a free agent which makes me sad because he was my favorite player of all time besides fan favorite Woodson.

Woodyard is listed on the Bronco's roster as active on www.nfl.com

[ryanebelhar]

in fact, the only senior from last year that isn't listed as active is Jacob Tamme, who is listed as an unsigned draft pick.

[poodoo]

in fact, the only senior from last year that isn't listed as active is Jacob Tamme, who is listed as an unsigned draft pick.

Larry Vaught has shared that Jacob received a BIG signing bonus. Perhaps he and the Colts have not yet agree on the amount for his contract. :shrug1:

In my opinion, Jacob Tamme is the player we can MOST count on making a roster. :big_grin: I would not be at all surprised if Jacob, Keenan, Andre, Stevie, and Wesley ALL make NFL rosters, and I'm hoping for just that. Too, from what I've heard, Rafael will be kept by the Titans, although he has obviously not recuperated from his knee surgery. I read that Eric Scott is considered more of a longshot to remain with the Titans. Let's wish ALL the former Cats the best of luck in their training camps, for all of them to survive the "cuts" made from the rosters during that time.

[kybuc]

I was helping my parents move into a new house in Lexington this past weekend and their neighbor across the road came over to introduce himself to us. None other than Shane Boyd !!! He said he had purchased the house for his mother and grandmother and was getting ready to head back to Houston for camp. He's currently the 3rd string QB on their active roster.

I told him I was a huge UK football fan and he invited me and my parents to tailgate with his family on game days. Of course I filled him in about the Wildcat nation tailgates. He mentioned his brother now playing for the Cats and I told him we appreciated his recruiting efforts on that one. :big_grin: My parents were greatly impressed with how friendly he was and very cordial.

I thought the whole situation was kinda neat! Not everyday you get to meet an NFL football player in your parents front yard!!!!:thumbup:

[UKFBFAN]

What a great post! It's nice to hear from Shane.

[billoliver40]

The last things I saw were that all last year's players were on their team's
80 man list. Now they have to survive the cuts.

Ain't easy. Besides playing ability, there are politics to negotiate....does your style fit the coaches'? Are you the same position as the new multi-million dollar high draft pick? and on and on and on....

Just my guesses:

Keenan Burton makes the Rams...third or fourth receiver.
Steve Johnson will struggle but make the Bills on special teams.
Jacob Tamme is in.
Andre Woodson, believe it or not, will be in....third string with the Giants or traded at the last to another team.
Rafael Little will be on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.
Eric Scott will probably not make the cut.
Wesley Woodyard will be a special teams player next year with the
Broncos or traded to the Bills.(they supposedly showed a LOT of interest in him)

[crazzedcats22]

The last things I saw were that all last year's players were on their team's
80 man list. Now they have to survive the cuts.

Ain't easy. Besides playing ability, there are politics to negotiate....does your style fit the coaches'? Are you the same position as the new multi-million dollar high draft pick? and on and on and on....

Just my guesses:

Keenan Burton makes the Rams...third or fourth receiver.
Steve Johnson will struggle but make the Bills on special teams.
Jacob Tamme is in.
Andre Woodson, believe it or not, will be in....third string with the Giants or traded at the last to another team.
Rafael Little will be on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.
Eric Scott will probably not make the cut.
Wesley Woodyard will be a special teams player next year with the
Broncos or traded to the Bills.(they supposedly showed a LOT of interest in him)

I don't know about the other but people here in St. Louis, including Rams personnel and coaches, are really excited about Burton. He has a great chance, if he stays healthy, to be the number 3 receiver, even possibly number 2

[poodoo]

I was helping my parents move into a new house in Lexington this past weekend and their neighbor across the road came over to introduce himself to us. None other than Shane Boyd !!! He said he had purchased the house for his mother and grandmother and was getting ready to head back to Houston for camp. He's currently the 3rd string QB on their active roster.

I told him I was a huge UK football fan and he invited me and my parents to tailgate with his family on game days. Of course I filled him in about the Wildcat nation tailgates. He mentioned his brother now playing for the Cats and I told him we appreciated his recruiting efforts on that one. :big_grin: My parents were greatly impressed with how friendly he was and very cordial.

I thought the whole situation was kinda neat! Not everyday you get to meet an NFL football player in your parents front yard!!!!:thumbup:

Thanks for sharing, kybuc. Also, isn't it great that Shane is indeed an NFL player! :icon_biggrin:

Too, I had always heard that Shane had a great family. KUDOS to Shane for his kindness to you. :)

[ukblue22]

Poodoo, Check your private messasages ;)

[Sam K.]

The last things I saw were that all last year's players were on their team's
80 man list. Now they have to survive the cuts.

Ain't easy. Besides playing ability, there are politics to negotiate....does your style fit the coaches'? Are you the same position as the new multi-million dollar high draft pick? and on and on and on....

Just my guesses:

Keenan Burton makes the Rams...third or fourth receiver.
Steve Johnson will struggle but make the Bills on special teams.
Jacob Tamme is in.
Andre Woodson, believe it or not, will be in....third string with the Giants or traded at the last to another team.
Rafael Little will be on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.
Eric Scott will probably not make the cut.
Wesley Woodyard will be a special teams player next year with the
Broncos or traded to the Bills.(they supposedly showed a LOT of interest in him)


Good insights there, Bill.

However I don't quite see eye to eye w you on a couple. Do you really think Steve can make the team based on Special Teams? I don't recall him playing on ST at UK. Maybe I missed it.

With Rafael I see him being on the Injured Reserve for the whole year. As I understand it, being on the PUP means being inactive the first 6 weeks because of injury. And I think being on PUP would mean taking up a roster spot unlike being on the Injured Reserve.

[billoliver40]

Sam, you're probably dead on right with Little. I doubt he would see any
side of the field this year.

Steve is showing a lot, but he's gonna have to prove himself. He's fast, big (for a wideout) and aggressive...trouble is, he's on the low end of the
draft pick list. The kid from IU is already tagged to see a lot of time...and
will probably deserve it. Steve could work his way up the food chain, but
he needs to make himself valuable in as many ways possible. From everything I've read, though, it looks promising for him.

[poodoo]

Poodoo, Check your private messasages ;)

I did just that, ukblue22, and PRIOR to my reading here this morning, by the way. :big_grin: THANKS, and here's hoping to see you at another WCN tailgate.

By the way, I have a ticket to the Colts' preseason game against the Bills. I can hardly wait to see Jacob and, hopefully, both Jared and Stevie. :big_grin:

[UKFBFAN]

Buffalo: Stevie Johnson got loose and caught a nice pass today in practice. July 26.

[UKFBFAN]

Nice "getting to know you" article today in the Indianapolis Star on Jacob Tammy. He looks good.

[UKFBFAN]

Just read a nice article in St Louis Today about Keenan Burton. He caught three nice passes in an 11 on 11 drill. His interview made him sound humble. Keep it up Keenan!

[poodoo]

Buffalo: Stevie Johnson got loose and caught a nice pass today in practice. July 26.

Thanks for sharing, UKFBFAN. Too, like many other Cat fans, I'm sure, I still love these guys and thus love this thread of yours. :)

[The Old School JPS]

Jared Lorenzen was picked up by the Colts?

[UKFBFAN]

This just found in the New York Daily News. July 28, 2008

"I’ve mentioned the slow release of rookie QB Andre Woodson before, but here’s the upside. The kid has a cannon for an arm. I know, so did Jared Lorenzen. But there appears to be a difference. Woodson’s cannon seems to hit its targets more often than Lorenzen’s did. Lorenzen overthrew everyone, all the time. Woodson may take a while to let go of the ball, but when he does it’s a dart in the right direction."

[UKFBFAN]

Just found in the Indianapolis Star, July 28, 2008


"Coach Tony Dungy said Lorenzen and Gray possess solid arms and the wherewithal to pick up the offense.
"They're legitimate quarterbacks,'' he said."

[UKGrad87]

http://web1.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/08%20Blogs/woodyard_ELB_080726.jpg

[billoliver40]

A few recent names I found on a site that will search for players by college:

Otis Grigsby...DE for the Minnesota Vikings...actually played a bit at the end of last year...3rd year in the league

Glen Holt....Cincinnatti Bengals....read one article that said he is getting long, long looks at being the 3rd receiver...3rd year in the show.

Artose Pinner...back with Detroit...needs a break somewhere, sometime.
will be going into his 7th year, I believe

Shane Boyd still hanging with the Texans...

Vincent (Sweet Pea) Burns not in the league...injuries seem to have ended his career.

JLo...not getting a lot of love from the Indy fans...I guess they're just a bit spoiled. Scorgi is pretty well entrenched at backup, and Indy usually
only carries two QB's. With Manning's surgery holding him back from camp, the Colts could be looking at a 3rd QB for security.

other news on the team sites at cbssportsline.com (http://www,cbssportsline.com)
Andre Woodson currently seems far behind Wright for the 3rd slot on the Giants roster
Jacob Tamme given full chance at Ben Utecht's slot in the Indy 2-tight end set...having difficulty with
blocking scheme, but showing soft hands.
Keenan Burton the player of the week for the Rams...outstanding reviews from the coaching staff
Steve Johnson and Wesley Woodyard...no current news or reviews, although the young man the Bills
drafted from IU is seemingly even better than his 2nd round selection.
Indianapolis management did say that they had really liked JLo coming out of college...and that they
felt the Giants scheme was somewhat similar to their own, so he has a chance.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

I just checked the Denver Donkeys roster and it still lists DeWayne Robertson, Marlon McCree and Wesley Woodward. While I want them all to make rosters it is a nightmare for me to have them on the Donkeys as there are no circumstances under which I could root for the Donkeys (it would be like Kentucky loaning players to the Cincinnati Bearcats). :eek: Those of you who remember Rodger Bird (The Corbin Comet) know he played for the Raiders and because of that I have rooted for the Raiders. The Donkey fans hate the Raiders and once I realized this I have root against the Donks...their fans are so easy to mess with...good luck Wildcats!

[BLUE-K]

Pinner was the best running back I think I ever saw during the AAA final against CovCath. He gets stronger as the game progresses. I SURE hope he gets the touches now. If not, what a waste.

[poodoo]

http://web1.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/08%20Blogs/woodyard_ELB_080726.jpg

Thanks for that GREAT picture of Wesley, UKGrad87. Too, how could anyone (other than the opponents, of course :icon_mrgreen:) not love Wesley! :big_grin:

Further, I know the NFL is a business. Yet, a business is still run by humans with hearts that SOMETIMES affect a decision. I cannot imagine a manager's meeting Wesley, the person, and seeing him work day after day of training camp weeks, revealing all those intangibles that are so important to a football team (besides remembering all his achievements in the SEC, plus the Senior Game) and then choosing to cut him from the team because of any "tweener" concerns. Wesley's coaches for the Senior Game "fell in love with him." I truly believe Wesley Woodyard will remain a Bronco. :)

Also, billoliver40, thanks for all those tidbits about Cats in the NFL. :)

[countryboyky]

Jared Lorenzen was picked up by the Colts?


Now I gotta like Colts with Tamme and JLO

[UKFBFAN]

St Louis Newspaper:

Can Marc Bulger get his career back on track?

Good question. I’d expect him to embrace Saunders’ scheme and welcome the addition of talented rookies Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton, who will refresh a receiving corps that suddenly got old last season.

[UKFBFAN]

2008-8-9
TCP Update: Cats in NFL
CatsPause.com
Talk about it in The House of Blue
Several former Kentucky standouts saw action in NFL exhibition play on Saturday night.

Jared Lorenzen and Jacob Tamme hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes in the Indianapolis Colts' 23-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Lorenzen, who is battling for a spot on the Colts' roster after spending last season as a backup with the world champion New York Giants, completed 12 of 23 passes for a team-high 117 yards. Both of his competitors for a roster spot behind All-Pro Peyton Manning -- Jim Sorgi and Quinn Gray -- threw interceptions against the Panthers.

The "Hefty Lefty" also had a 24-yard run for Indianapolis.

Tamme, a rookie tight end, led the Colts with five receptions for 57 yards and scoring plays of 9 and 14 yards from Lorenzen in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, in Houston, Shane Boyd's Texans squared off against a trio of former Cats on the Denver Broncos.

Seeking a backup quarterback job with the Texans, Boyd completed four of five passes for 25 yards and also carried the ball four times for 28 yards.

Wesley Woodyard, who signed with Denver as a free agent linebacker, led the team with eight tackles. After leaving San Diego for Denver in the off-season, Marlon McCree had three tackles at safety. Another former UK star, defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, sat out of Saturday's game with a sore knee. He signed with Denver in the off-season after spending the last five years with the New York Jets.

Rookie wide receiver Steve Johnson traveled to Washington with the Buffalo Bills and caught two passes for seven yards. Fellow rookie wideout Keenan Burton saw action in the St. Louis Rams' game against Tennessee, but did not catch a pass.

On Thursday night, running back Artose Pinner had 14 yards rushing on five carries and caught one pass for 12 yards in the Detroit Lions' game against the New York Giants. Andre Woodson did not see action at quarterback for the reigning champs.

[poodoo]

Thanks for the info, UKFBFAN. I especially LOVE reading that Wesley led the Broncos with eight tackles. Also, I would have loved to have seen the Broncos against the Texans, which would have meant watching former Cat favorites Shane Boyd and Marlon McCree, in addition to Wesley, of course.

[UKFBFAN]

Somebody may have posted this elsewhere but I just found it in the Denver Post. It's still exciting.

Biography: Wesley Woodyard
As an undrafted rookie, linebacker Wesley Woodyard is the very last player listed in the Broncos media guide. But after Saturday's preseason opener at Houston was over, Woodyard was listed first somewhere much more important. His eight tackles — all solo — were more than any of his teammates.

Woodyard admitted that he was a little "shell shocked" during warm ups, but quickly calmed down enough to do what he did during his four years at the University of Kentucky, which is make tackles at a torrid pace. He led the Wildcats in tackles each of his last three seasons and was a first-team All-SEC player in the last two.

But at 6-1 and 230 pounds (though he weighed at least 10 pounds less in college), many scouts deemed him too small to play linebacker in the NFL. The critique is nothing Woodyard said he hasn't heard before.

"I've always been a small guy, ever since I started playing football, since I was 6, running around in the backyard," Woodyard said. "Just because I'm smaller than them, some guys think they can have an easy win. That's what I love about football, because the one thing you can't see is your heart."

Because of injuries to Boss Bailey and Louis Green, Woodyard moved into the second-team defense on Monday, and said he knows he needs to excel in those increased repetitions to earn a roster spot.
"Any chance you get, if you get one rep, you got to make sure you do your best and make sure somebody notices," Woodyard said.

[poodoo]

Thanks a million for this one, UKFBFAN. I love reading positives about Wesley. Too, I had not known that all of his tackles had been solo tackles.

By the way, Wesley is so right that HEART cannot be measured. Also, Wesley's heart is surely HUGE in both size and results. I surely hope he has another fine game this weekend. :)

[yitbos]

The Donkey fans hate the Raiders

You are right about that....if the raiders never won another game....i wouldn't be upset at all