NFL 2009 Preseason

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Aug 28, 2009

NFL 2009 Preseason

Glen Coffee

SI's best shots from the first two weeks of preseason games, beginning with 49ers rookie running back Glen Coffee (29), who ran for 129 yards against Oakland and 67 against Denver.<br><i>(Getty Images and AP shots after frame 35)</i>

Glen Coffee

A third-round pick out of Alabama, Coffee will relieve San Francisco starter Frank Gore this season.

Rashied Davis

Rashied Davis hopes to be on the receiving end of a lot of Jay Cutler passes.

Caleb Hanie

With no veterans like Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman or Brian Griese around to fall back on, the Bears will turn to Caleb Hanie in relief of Jay Cutler.

Juaquin Iglesias

A 6-foot-1, 205-pound receiver out of Oklahoma, Juaquin Iglesias is trying to make the Bears' roster.

Trent Edwards

Heading into this third season as the starter, Trent Edwards gets to throw to Terrell Owens this year.

Kyle Orton

Kyle Orton has a lot to prove in Denver after arriving in the trade that sent Jay Cutler to Chicago.

LaRod Stephens-Howling

A seventh-round pick from Pitt, Stephens-Howling didn't have much of an impact against the Steelers, but had 89- and 63-yard kick returns last week against San Diego.

Kris Wilson

A six-year veteran tight end out of Pittsburgh, Kris Wilson has only 345 career receiving yards.

chief.opm8-17398-mid.jpg — John Biever/SI

The Chiefs need a strong running game this season to keep the pressure off new quarterback Matt Cassel.

Eric Frampton

Eric Frampton had three solo tackles against Indy, including this one of Chad Simpson.

Unlike the Cowboys, the Colts don't have a problem with punts hitting the videoboards at Lucas Oil Stadium because they put theirs at the back of the facility.

Kevin Ogletree

Kevin Ogletree reaches for a touchdown pass as Tennessee cornerback Demarcus Faggins defends.

Tony Romo

Dallas fans are hopeful this is the season Tony Romo leads the Cowboys back to the Super Bowl.

Channing Crowder

Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder does his best to crush Carolina's Jake Delhomme.

dolphins.oph9-104801-mid.jpg — Bob Rosato/SI

The Dolphins were 10th best against the run last season and 25th against the pass.

Patrick Cobbs

Patrick Cobbs could be a key player again in the Dolphins Wildcat formation. Last season he had a 53-yard TD catch after Ronnie Brown took a direct snap, handed it to Ricky Williams, who handed it to Chad Pennington, who threw the TD pass.

Thomas Brown

A sixth-round pick out of Georgia in 2008, Thomas Brown is having a hard time staying on the field for the Falcons. Last year he suffered a groin injury in the final preseason game and missed the rest of the year. This year he hurt a leg in the preseason opener against Detroit and missed the next game.

Eli Manning

Eli Manning heads into the season as one of the highest paid players in the NFL thanks to his six-year, $97 million contract extension.

Ahmad Bradshaw

Now that Derrick Ward is gone, Ahmad Bradshaw hopes to increase his role, especially catching passes out of the backfield.

Osi Umenyiora

The Giants standout defensive end isn't a one-man team, but sometimes he can make offenses feel that way. He's looked good in his return from the knee surgery that sidelined him all of last season.

Mark Sanchez

The Jets still have a few kinks to work out, but feel so confident in Mark Sanchez that they've named the rookie their opening-day starter.

Detroit LIons

The NFL record for most consecutive games without a win is 26, set by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of 1976-77. Adam Jennings and the Lions are nine shy of tying it.

Matthew Stafford

The Lions made Stafford the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft but haven't said whether he'll be the starting quarterback in the Sept. 13 opener at New Orleans.

Jake Delhomme

Jake Delhomme completed 10 of 16 passes for 85 yards and no touchdowns in Carolina's first two preseason games, both losses.

JaMarcus Russell

Will this be the year JaMarcus Russell has a breakout season? The Raiders have named him the opening-day starter, but Jeff Garcia is there if he falters.

Ray Rice

A second-year back out of Rutgers, Rice has been getting work with the goal-line offense and could enter the season No. 1 on the Ravens depth chart.

Ladell Betts

Ladell Betts will be a nice complement to Clinton Portis again this season. Here Betts gets tackled by Keyaron Fox, whom the Steelers signed to a two-year contract after he finished second on the team with a career-high 21 tackles on special teams in 2008.

Chase Daniels

The former Heisman finalist threw for 12,500 yards and 101 touchdowns at Missouri. He's battling Colt Brennan and Todd Collins for a backup role with the Redskins.

Albert Haynesworth

The Redskins are counting on the massive defensive tackle to make a difference in their bid to win the NFC East.

Justin Forsett

A return specialist in his second stint with the Seahawks, Justin Forsett could also get a few touches in the backfield in relief of Julius Jones and Edgerrin James.

Anthony Madison

Madison hopes to equal or surpass his 2008 season, when he led the Steerlers with a career-high 25 special teams tackles.

Kenny Britt

Tennessee could be more explosive on offense this season with the addition of first-round receiver Kenny Britt, a speedster out of Rutgers.

Brett Favre

Favre was understandably rusty in his first preseason outing. When he takes the field Sept. 13 at Cleveland, he'll add to his all-time streak of 291 consecutive starts.

Ian Johnson

Best remembered for his two-point conversion in Boise State's overtime upset of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, Ian Johnson is now trying to make a name for himself in the NFL.

Chris Henry

Bengals wideout Chris Henry has a new tattoo to reflect his new outlook on life: Blessed. From all accounts, he's doing and saying the right things these days.

Ryan Grant

Ryan Grant's yards per carry dropped from 5.1 in 2007 to 3.9 last year. He hopes to make amends now that he's healthier.Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/08/06/grant.pack.ap/index.html#ixzz0PKIkOJPI

Kellen Winslow

Kellen Winslow never caught more than five touchdown passes in a season with Cleveland. The Bucs plan to get more production than that out of him.

Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb can't wait for him and Michael Vick to be on the same field together. Eagles fans just wish that someone would get them to the Super Bowl again.

DeSean Jackson

With 62 catches for 912 yards his rookie season, DeSean Jackson is the Eagles go-to-receiver. He's scored one touchdown in limited preseason action this year.

David Garrard

Garrard has been sacked three times in two preseason games, but he more than offset that with his 10-of-16, 216-yard passing outing against Tampa Bay.

Tom Brady

One of the most anticipated returns in recent years has gone just fine in two preseason outings for Brady and the Patriots.

Laurence Maroney

Maroney will share carries with Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor and others this year, in what could be a make-or-break season for the former Minnesota Golden Gopher.

James Laurinaitis

A second-round pick out of Ohio State, Laurinaitis has played well enough that he could start at middle linebacker for the Rams this year.

Rod Harper

A former sales clerk at Toys 'R' Us and Arena League 2 standout, Harper is trying to hang on to a job with the Saints. He caught two passes for 48 yards against the Bengals and returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown against the Texans.

Darnell Jenkins

A rookie out of Miami, Jenkins had made one reception this preseason, a 19-yarder against the Chiefs.