Bryant Mckinnie

The size has always been there. A Pro Bowl selection could follow someday if left offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie of the Minnesota Vikings continues his development. At least that's how he feels. And at his size - 6-foot-8, 343 pounds - who is going to argue? McKinnie would like to continue his development Monday night against the team he grew up following as a youngster. The Vikings will face the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, which is about a 20-minute ride from Woodbury High.

Anthony Averett tells his tale in tattoos. He has just two of them, for now, but each is a special statement - a reflection of his life, his personality, and his priorities. He got his first one on his left arm a little more than a year ago. It's a drawing of a rose with his mom's name, "Carmen," and what he says is an apt description of himself - "Momma's Boy. " Averett, a Woodbury High School junior, has committed to attend the University of Alabama on a football scholarship.

Owner Red McCombs says that the Minnesota Vikings will not trade first-round pick Bryant McKinnie, who has yet to sign a contract with the team. McKinnie, an offensive tackle from the University of Miami, was the seventh selection overall in April's NFL draft. The graduate of Woodbury High in Gloucester County is the only unsigned first-round pick. "I want to make it clear that the Vikings have absolutely no interest in trading Bryant McKinnie at any time," McCombs said Friday.

The NFL got its chance to see Matt Ryan throw yesterday, and the Boston College quarterback, of Penn Charter, didn't do anything that would keep him from being picked early in the draft. Perhaps even first overall. Ryan worked out at BC's biggest Pro Day ever, throwing to former teammates for a mini-combine of 42 scouts and other personnel evaluators from 22 NFL teams. He completed 48 of 52 passes - three drops, one overthrown - from three-, five- and seven step drops, from the pocket and on the run, throwing to both sides of the field.

Minnesota Vikings tackle Bryant McKinnie was arrested for aggravated battery after a street brawl outside a Miami nightclub yesterday. McKinnie also was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence, according to a police report. Authorities were called to Club Space after a fight broke out. McKinnie had been thrown out by a nightclub security guard and was arguing and spit on Eric Otero, according to a police report. Otero, 32, said he wouldn't press charges if McKinnie left.

Tim Smith, who set a Super Bowl rushing record with Washington in 1988, was sentenced yesterday in Denver to 2 1/2 years in federal prison for cocaine distribution. Smith, 42, also was ordered to pay $88,000 in back child support and must report to prison by July 10. His brother Christopher, 35, was sentenced May 12 to 5 years' probation. The two were indicted by a federal grand jury in October. Tim Smith pleaded guilty to cocaine distribution and Christopher Smith pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting cocaine distribution.

Minnesota Vikings players have encouraged teammates to boycott a local TV station in response to a Thursday report related to the infamous boat party. After getting a tip that offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and running back Mewelde Moore were seen dumping garbage at a construction site near their Eden Prairie homes, Channel 5 reporter Kristin Stinar rummaged through a trash bin and discovered discarded items belonging to McKinnie. Remnants of a party were found, including a list of several female names and incoming flight times handwritten on Vikings stationery.

Denver Broncos strong safety Kenoy Kennedy was suspended by the NFL for one game without pay yesterday for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Miami receiver Chris Chambers. He will miss Denver's game Sunday at Kansas City, but will not be fined. Chambers got a concussion when he went up high for a pass from Jay Fiedler and was hit in the face by Kennedy in the second quarter of Miami's 24-22 victory on Sunday night. Chambers' head twisted after the hit, and he lay on the field for about 5 minutes before being helped off the field.

The "domefield" advantage just isn't working for the Minnesota Vikings when the New York Giants come to town. Tiki Barber rushed for 101 yards on 24 carries as the visiting Giants hammered the Vikings, 34-13, to stay within two games of the Eagles in the NFC East. It was the third consecutive time the Giants have won in the Metrodome. After the game, Vikings coach Mike Tice walked into the interview room and announced the only good news of the afternoon for Minnesota. "The Giants are not on our schedule next year," the coach said.

Eli Manning got his first dose of real NFL defensive schemes, and it had to taste awful. The top choice in the NFL draft in April, the Giants' quarterback struggled against the New York Jets in a 17-10 loss last night at Giants Stadium. It was the Jets' ninth straight win in the annual preseason series. Usually, exhibition games feature vanilla defenses. But the Jets threw all kinds of defensive looks at the Giants, from both 4-3 and 3-4 alignments, with frequent safety blitzes and a nice mix of coverages.

Anthony Averett tells his tale in tattoos. He has just two of them, for now, but each is a special statement - a reflection of his life, his personality, and his priorities. He got his first one on his left arm a little more than a year ago. It's a drawing of a rose with his mom's name, "Carmen," and what he says is an apt description of himself - "Momma's Boy. " Averett, a Woodbury High School junior, has committed to attend the University of Alabama on a football scholarship.

In an unusual move in today's social media climate, Lawrence Timmons didn't go to Facebook or Twitter to announce his new six-year contract with Pittsburgh, the way good friend LaMarr Woodley did after signing a similar deal with the Steelers earlier this month. "They said they wanted to keep it [low key]," Timmons said on Tuesday. "Once you pay a guy like that, I'm going to do what they say. " The new deal will pay Timmons $50 million if he sticks around until 2016, the kind of money that will make it difficult for him to remain one of the league's best-kept secrets.

Leslie Frazier insists he wasn't trying to send a message when he released left tackle Bryant McKinnie, a fixture on the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line for nine years, just two days into Frazier's first training camp as a head coach. But that was how the move was seen by the rest of the team. Frazier repeatedly declined to cite the specific reasons for McKinnie's departure, saying only that it had nothing to do with money and that the former Pro Bowler "wasn't the right fit" for the team any longer.

Bryant McKinnie spent 9 years as the mainstay on the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line, never really becoming the dominant force he was expected to be but still giving the team almost a decade of solid performances. When he showed up to training camp woefully out of shape after the summerlong lockout, the Vikings decided to cut ties the former No. 7 overall draft choice. "This decision, while not an easy one, is in the best interests of our football team as we move forward preparing for the season," coach Leslie Frazier said in a statement issued yesterday.

BRYANT McKINNIE, the Minnesota Vikings' Pro Bowl offensive lineman, has been putting emphasis on "offensive" lately. The Woodbury, N.J., native was chosen for last year's Pro Bowl in Miami but failed to show up for the last two practices and was kicked off the NFC squad. This weekend, news comes out of Hollywood, by way of TMZ.com, that McKinnie was attending a celebrity party around LA with the NBA All-Star Game in town and dropped $100,000 on a bar bill. Unlike Pacman Jones in 2007 at NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas, three people weren't shot and McKinnie didn't make it rain.

Some splashes are bigger than others. For the team that signs Julius Peppers, it would be a cannonball-sized plunge into the NFL free agent waters and one that could leave all competitors soaked. The Eagles have made such a splash before (see: Jevon Kearse, 2004). And there's no reason to believe they won't at least dip their toe into the sweepstakes for the Carolina defensive end. Peppers, for one, is hoping the Eagles are a suitor. According to a league source, the former all-pro defensive end, who will become a free agent Friday, has the "Eagles on his short list of teams.

Washington Redskins cornerback Byron Westbrook, brother of Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, was arrested early yesterday and charged with driving under the influence. Charles County (Md.) Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Diane Richardson said Westbrook, 25, was pulled over about 2 a.m. on Route 5 after a deputy saw a Mercedes cross the center line several times. Richardson said the deputy smelled alcohol and administered field sobriety tests. She said Westbrook failed and was arrested.

Bryant McKinnie took a longer route than most players to an NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings. After his high school career at Woodbury in South Jersey, McKinnie played 2 years at Lackawanna Junior College in Scranton. While at Lackawanna, he bulked up by 70 pounds and attracted attention from major colleges. From Lackawanna, he earned a scholarship to the University of Miami, where after a redshirt year in 1999, he started at offensive left tackle for 2 years. During his Hurricanes career, McKinnie did not allow a sack and was named All-America both years.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - The last time Bryant McKinnie faced an elite Pro Bowl pass rusher, he gave up two sacks, committed two penalties, and was benched for ineffective play. That nightmarish performance came Dec. 20 against Carolina's Julius Peppers, who kept the Minnesota Vikings' left tackle on his heels all game. McKinnie, a graduate of Woodbury High School in South Jersey, faces perhaps an even tougher test Sunday, and the Vikings need the first-time Pro Bowl player to play like one. McKinnie will go head-to-head against outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware in a divisional playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Turns out Donovan McNabb wasn't the only NFL player who didn't know a regular-season game could end in a tie. McNabb, the Eagles quarterback, and several teammates were surprised when their game Sunday in Cincinnati ended in a 13-all tie. "I've never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book," McNabb said. Surprisingly, Steelers offensive captains Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward said yesterday they believe many players around the league didn't know ties could occur.