There's a Gleam: 03/13/07

OBR RUMOR ALERT - Bentley Back by October - THIS YEAR!

Hey, we can all dream, right? From the "we hope this is not a mirage file...

...according "Oasis," a frequent poster on the OBR, Supposedly, he's telling Phil NOT to place him on the IR. His goal is to be back THIS YEAR.

Per my source. He's rehabilitating in Arizona and will be back in Cleveland shortly. He feels that he'll be ready to play in OCTOBER!!!I reported he was done for good, but his own words have completely contradicted that. He (LCB) feels the 2nd surgery isn't warranted or needed.Guys, when I "broke" this I had full assurances that he was done. I feel compelled to report that it isn't the case. - Oasis

JR Ready for Pro Day Wednesday

Adam Schefter reads the Raiders' minds:

Oakland dealt with enough misery last season. Wednesday represents the hope.
In front of a contingent of Raiders officials, LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell will work out at the school's Pro Day and demonstrate the talents that already have Oakland salivating.

The Raiders are enamored not just with Russell's ability to throw the long ball, but to make every type of throw -- short ones, midrange ones and especially the deep ones.
But the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Russell is about more than just his arm.

He is considered remarkably strong for a quarterback, with great balance, quickness, nimbleness -- all the skills that make him the overwhelming favorite and near cinch to the first overall pick on in the draft.

Now, the suspense is not over whether Russell will go No. 1. The suspense is over whether Oakland wide receiver Randy Moss will play with him there.

Sav: AP a "Terrific Talent"

OK's official site cover's today's workout in Norman.

VIDEO HERE

Cleveland Browns scout Phil Savage was impressed. “Adrian is a terrific talent,” he said. “He caught the ball well today and showed some versatility. At the combine, he double-caught some balls. It put some people’s minds at ease that he caught it better today.”

OU head coach Bob Stoops also liked Peterson’s workout. “I was real impressed,” he said. “He even caught a few on his back shoulder. He did real well, but that didn’t surprise me.” Peterson said the pressure of displaying talents for scouts is different than game pressure.

“It’s totally different,” said the No. 3 career rusher at OU. “Out here you’re just performing in drills and you’ve got coaches watching you. You try not to think about any of that.” Peterson said he is concentrating on his receiving abilities for now and is thankful for the preparation he received at OU, especially under the tutelage of sports enhancement director Jerry Schmidt.

“The experience here helped,” he said. “Being with Schmidty for three years, I got a lot out of that. He makes you work hard.”

NFL.com's Vic Carucci Mock

1. Oakland: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU The Raiders are starting over at quarterback -- again. They could go with Notre Dame's Brady Quinn, but Russell's off-the-charts physical skills and arm strength give him enough of an edge to rank as the No. 1 quarterback in the draft. His massive frame is a plus, but his weight at the NFL Scouting Combine (265 pounds) was about 10 pounds heavier than the Raiders or any team would prefer. Of course, given their unpredictable history, the Raiders could go with a different position. Their draft board, like that of many other teams, might very well show Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson at the top.

2. Detroit: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin The Lions will be tempted to use their first pick on yet another receiver, especially after Johnson's highly impressive showing at the Combine. General manager Matt Millen also could give serious thought to selecting Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams, another prospect who gave a strong Combine showing. But of all of their holes, the most logical for them to plug with this choice is offensive tackle. Thomas, who is a superb athlete, is the best at the position in this year's college crop and should be a fixture on the Lions line for many years to come.

Even with Jamal Lewis now in the mix, the Browns may still nab Adrian Peterson.
3. Cleveland: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma Peterson is remarkably talented, offering tremendous burst and explosiveness. He is capable of making an offense instantly better, and that is the sort of help the Browns desperately need. Peterson helped himself with an impressive performance at the Combine, but his injury history is a concern. It might be enough of a concern for the Browns to consider Quinn, an Ohio native who wants to play in Cleveland, or Johnson or perhaps the draft's best defensive tackle, Michigan's Alan Branch.

The rest of the first round....

Steve D. Warns of Draft Disasters

As Savage puts it, "Whoever we take at No. 3, the Browns will be better.'' Savage says the Browns are "probably content to stay at No. 3. "I wouldn't anticipate us moving up," he says, making sure everyone knows he wants to hear sweet deals to trade down.

Savage is hoping the guys atop his board are in their league. "Being at No. 3," he says, "puts us in a position to get one of our top three players."

I think we can guess who those three are....

Sav OK with AP's Pro Day

"You can really tell he's been working on his hands," Browns general manager Phil Savage said.

From ESPN - NORMAN, Okla. -- Former Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, rated the No. 1 running back in the 2007 draft and a possible No. 3 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns, spent a good deal of time catching passes at the Sooners pro day workout Tuesday, something he did little of in his three seasons as a player.