Rookie Update: Gilyard, Butler, Burnett and Tebow

Here are some updates on rookies making news this week:

Mardy Gilyard:  Agrees to four-year, $2.34 million deal

Mardy Gilyard signed his rookie deal today and he gets the chance to help the Rams improve their 29^th ranked offense.  Gilyard is one of our favorite receivers in this draft class, and although he fell to the fourth round of the NFL Draft, he still has the chance to become a serious weapon for Sam Bradford in the future.

Gilyard does not have ideal size; however, he has shown the ability to make big plays at the college level (25 touchdowns in three years).  He excelled at the Senior Bowl this spring with five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Donald Butler:  Butler catching up

Donald Butler was finally able to join the team recently due to the NCAA rule that prohibits players from being participating in their NFL team’s practices or meetings until after May 16 or the final day of their spring semester, whichever is later.

Butler did miss valuable time and has done extra work with the team to get ready, reports Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  Butler is expected to compete for a starting job as early as this season, and by 2011 at the latest.

He makes an excellent dynasty pick as a dark horse candidate to become a top-20 linebacker in the near future.  In redraft leagues, monitor the San Diego linebacker situation closely if Stephen Cooper struggles again this year because Butler could capitalize on the opportunity.

Morgan Burnett:  Atari Bigby vs. Morgan Burnett

TotalPackers.com recently broke down the potential training camp battle between Atari Bigby and Morgan Burnett.

Burnett is a more impressive prospect that Bigby is and the major deciding factor in this battle will be experience.  Bigby has a reputation as a big-hitter; however, his coverage deficiencies have hurt the Packers’ defense in recent years.  Bigby has also struggled with injuries, playing only 20 games the past two seasons.

If Burnett wins the job, he could produce a top-10 season at safety like Bigby did in 2007.

Tim Tebow: The Tebow Question

The crew of NFL Total Access tackled the Tim Tebow debate on tonight’s show.  Brian Baldinger argued that the Broncos need to get Tebow on the field this season and get this toe in the water after trading up in the first round to draft him.  Jamie Dukes does not see Tebow as a good wildcat option and the Broncos will struggle with a way to get him game action at the expense of Kyle Orton.

Without question, Tim Tebow has and will be the most polarizing figure from the 2010 NFL Draft class.  Tebow still ranks behind Jimmy Clausen in our quarterback rankings because of the work Tebow needs to put in to become an NFL quarterback.