Will Poole, CB, Dolphins: Teams knew Poole had ability. But he had off-field issues that allowed him to last until the fourth round. Miami is glad he did. Poole has been impressive and will likely play in the team's dime package. In a year or so, he will take over for Sam Madison as the starter.
Erik Coleman, S, Jets: A fifth-round pick out of Washington State, Coleman was given the chance to win the job when veteran Reggie Tongue was hurt. Coleman responded, and with Tongue back, he has held off the challenge. Coleman has good range, which is necessary from the safety spot in this era of spread offenses.
Roderick Green, LB, Ravens: Taking defensive ends and making them outside linebackers is what 3-4 teams love to do. Green was a college end at Southwest Missouri State but is playing linebacker for the Ravens. He can rush the passer. The thinking is he might get time because of the injury uncertainty over Peter Boulware. The Ravens always seem to find these kinds of players.
Matt Kranchick, TE, Steelers: This sixth-round pick walked on at Penn Sate as a receiver but grew into a 6-foot-7, 260-pound tight end. He leads Steelers tight ends with catches with five but still might not make the team unless the Steelers keep four tight ends or cut veteran Matt Cushing. Even so, he has impressed the coaches.
Richard Smith, WR, Chiefs: With the Kansas City receiving corps banged up, Smith has had a nice preseason. He was not drafted out of Arkansas, even though he was productive there. At 5-10, 191 pounds, size was a concern. But his 20.6 per-catch average on five receptions is proof that he has the speed to play in the league, more than making up for his lack of size.
Shane Olivea, T, Chargers: This seventh-round pick started last week at right tackle and could end up being an opening-day starter. They moved Roman Oben from the right side to the left side to give Olivea a chance, a change that could be permanent.
Rodney Leisle, DT, Saints: A fifth-round pick out of UCLA, Leslie is a hard-working player who the coaches like a lot. Leslie missed a lot of offseason work because his class had not yet graduated. If he had been around, he might be pushing for more time.
Alex Stepanovich, C, Cardinals: A fourth-round pick out of Ohio State, Stepanovich was thrust into the starting lineup when the Cardinals released Pete Kendall. He has played well so far, although he did have problems against massive Oakland defensive tackle Ted Washington. He's a battler who will be a 10-year starter.
Cody Pickett, QB, 49ers: Pickett had a huge junior year at Washington but tailed off as a senior. That turned some teams off, but the 49ers took him in the seventh round, and he beat out Brandon Doman (released this week) for the third quarterback job.
Willie Parker, RB, Steelers: An undrafted rookie out of North Carolina, Parker is fifth in the NFL in preseason rushing yards with 174. Parker didn't even start at North Carolina, but he has blazing speed and has impressed the Steelers. He still hasn't made the team but has moved a lot closer to doing so.
Shaun Phillips, Dave Ball, OLBs, Chargers: The Chargers are using a 3-4 scheme under new coordinator Wade Phillips, and these two former college defensive ends are tied for the league lead with four sacks each. Granted, the sacks have come in garbage time, but they have both showed they can knock down the passer. Phillips was a fourth-round pick out of Purdue, while Ball was a fifth-rounder out of UCLA.
Around the league
Deion won't solve Ravens' offensive problems
Is signing Deion Sanders a good move for the Ravens? From a public-relations standpoint, it is. From a football standpoint, it remains to be seen. Sanders will play outside in the team's nickel packages, with Gary Baxter moving into the slot. Chris McAlister will man the other side. That's a nice trio, but nickel backs should be inexpensive players who can run. Sanders insists he still can, but let's wait and see. The Ravens were going to be dominant on defense anyway, with or without Sanders. They could have played Ray Walls as the nickel corner and been just as good. Plus, there are major worries about Sanders' turf toe. It's a problem that has slowed him before, and word is the injury is bone on bone. That's troubling. The Ravens have more pressing issues than nickel corner. The offense is still a problem spot, especially in the passing game. Baltimore is ranked 32nd in passing yards in the preseason. What has happened to the idea that Brian Billick and Jim Fassel would mold Kyle Boller into an accomplished passer? At some point, the Ravens will be asked to win a game in the air, no matter how well Jamal Lewis runs. It appears the progress there has been minimal, which is surprising considering Billick is known as an offensive wizard. By the way, word is the four-year contract extension Billick signed is for $4.5 million per season. New owner Steve Biscotti, who was totally on board with the Sanders signing, must have a lot of faith in Billick.
Rams' Turley angry with Martz
It would probably be a wise thing to keep Rams tackle Kyle Turley, one of the league's most volatile players, and coach Mike Martz apart for a while. Turley is furious with Martz, who he holds partly responsible for being on injured reserve with a back injury. They had a heated phone conversation along those lines, according to league sources. The anger stems from the way Martz handled Turley's initial back problems on the third day of training camp. Turley had back surgery to repair a ruptured disc last March and was told by team doctors that he could ease into practice work. Martz pushed him to practice, and Turley re-injured his back, which led to him going on injured reserve, ending his season. Turley is angered about the prodding. He's having problems with the same disc he had surgery to repair, and he has another bulging disc above it. Surgery could be an option again. The loss of Turley leaves a huge hole on the right side of the Rams line. Grant Williams, who has been awful at times for the Rams, will start. Left tackle Orlando Pace still has not reported, but he is expected in next week when he signs his franchise tender.
Faulk not Rams' best back?
The Rams could have another controversy brewing in their backfield. Rookie runner Steven Jackson has clearly outplayed Marshall Faulk in the preseason to the point where some Rams people feel he could be starting. Jackson, the team's first-round pick last April, leads all rushers with 251 yards on 54 carries. Faulk has 10 carries for 27 yards. Faulk is 31 and is in his 11th season, a time when backs start to really show the wear and tear. He has never been one to take care of his body, either, refusing to commit himself entirely to the team's offseason program. As usual, Faulk was not around all the time during this offseason. But Faulk is a Martz favorite, which could affect when and how a change is made. Jackson is the real deal, and waiting to make a change could really hurt the St. Louis offense.
Young backs on the move
Jackson is just one of the many young backs, rookies included, playing well in the preseason. Included in that group is Cleveland's Lee Suggs, Julius Jones of Dallas, Tennessee's Chris Brown and Moore of the Vikings. Suggs and Brown are second-year players, while Jackson, Jones and Moore are rookies. Fellow rookie Kevin Jones of Detroit missed time with an injury, but he returned to action the past two weeks and has gained 65 yards on 13 carries. All four of the rookies are averaging 5 yards or more per carry. By contrast, Faulk is averaging 2.7 per rush and veteran Eddie George of the Cowboys is averaging 2.9. George, who was not brought back to the Titans in a cap-related move, has 15 carries for 43 yards, but he had a 23-yard carry. That means he has gained 20 yards on his other 14 carries. No wonder the Titans are thrilled with what they have in Brown and the Cowboys appear ready to play Jones. Moral of the story: Play the young backs and never pay money to a back over 30. George's play just validates what coach Bill Parcells believed before he was signed, which is he didn't have much left. But owner Jerry Jones pushed for the George signing, which will prove to be a mistake.
Machinations in Dolphins land
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