Colts safety Bullitt begins to attract more attention

As a fourth year veteran, the Indianapolis Colts veteran safety Melvin Bullitt was previously known by little and seldom appeared to attract much attention. However, as most of this offseason has passed, people began to notice that Bullitt is now a key role of the team’s defense.

Bullitt has solidified the safety position as a hard-nosed tackler while former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders had to miss games and workouts with various injuries. Starting 21 games over the past two season, Bullitt never disappointed coaches when he was needed as he can do anything he was asked to do the best. Spending most of past three seasons as backup role, Bullitt has also been expecting more playing time. He resembles a lot his favorite NFL player, Archie Manning as he is always calm with whatever situation he is in. He collected a lot of Archie Manning jerseys when he was a young boy and he is now always wearing one to remind himself of how his idol dealt with career problems.

Bullitt believes that he can eventually be recognized as long as he does what he needs to do the best. He is proved to be right with that attitude. The Colts are not seriously considering giving him the starting job while Sanders will miss most of the 2010 season.

Rookie RB McKnight received lucrative contract from Jets

The New York Jets made announcement on Tuesday that they have signed fourth-round draft pick, rookie running back Joe McKnight to a four-year contract that will pay McKnight a total base salary of nearly $2.36 million. The deal was considered a rare one a rookie can receive from his first NFL team.

Growing up as a faithful New Orleans Saints fan, McKnight previously hoped to join the defending champion team and put on the number 8 that used to be on his beloved Archie Manning jersey. However, he ended up wearing 25 with the Jets. So the big contract could also be signed to prevent McKnight from signing with another team. Although he was drafted 112th overall, McKnight’s performance during college was rather impressive. He rushed for 2,213 career yards at USC with 13 touchdowns and 66 catches for 542 yards.

It was weird McKnight was not picked by other team in higher round, and the Jets were really lucky. They may feel so and that was why they are willing to the rookie a base salary of $320,000 in his first season. Good player is worth good price.

Peyton Manning returned to practice from neck injury

As the Indianapolis Colts opened their first offseason minicamp on Friday, we were glad to see the starting quarterback Peyton Manning also participate in most parts of the workouts. It seems the neck problem is no longer bothering him and the leading role of Colts was ready to start a new wonderful season.

“I’m out here throwing and I’ll no longer have to get the treatment that I’ve been getting for the last four years. It’s a great relief,” Manning said Friday, assuring his fans that there is nothing to worry about his neck. “All my symptoms and issues that I’ve been dealing with for the last four years have subsided.”

Returning of Peyton lit up the hopes of Colts winning the Super Bowl XLV championship. The team lost the Super Bowl XLIV to the New Orleans Saints in February. Talking about the loss to the former team of his father, Archie Manning, Peyton said that he was grateful for father’s support and felt regretful for the loss. But he promised that he would win the new competition in 2011. He joked that his father had got ready to put on his Archie Manning jersey for celebration of son’s third Super Bowl victory.

Archie Manning and Brett Favre are fans to each other

When Archie Manning was playing for the New Orleans Saints as a quarterback, Brett Favre was still a young boy living n southern Mississippi. Although Manning never managed to have a winning season, Favre still took the former Mississippi star college player as his favorite quarterback.

With Manning being his idol, Favre also attended the Ole Miss to be a college football player there. Years later, Favre became a professional NFL player and also developed into a star quarterback. Then he was finally recognized by his former idol, Archie Manning, who made public statement that Favre was as great quarterback his own sons, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning. Knowing that Favre was formerly his fan, Manning said it was now his turn to support his alumnus.

While Favre never played for the Saints and always met his favorite team as opponents with each other, he at least has managed to join the Minnesota Vikings and get the number four, the number on Archie Manning jersey when the ex-NFL quarterback was playing his last career season with the Vikings.