We can finally say, "the 2014 NFL Draft is next week." It would be better if we could say that "the 2014 NFL Draft is this week," but for now the best that we can do is "next week." The draft should have been last week.
Adding two weeks to the draft prep process has to be the dumbest stunt that the NFL has ever pulled. I hope that Roger "the Goods" Goodell is regretting the decision. Everybody that I know is regretting that he made the decision to add two weeks to a process that already feels like an eternity. Supposedly, there was a scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall for last week. It's funny how the event that caused the conflict ended up being canceled due to lack of interest. The fact that there was a conflict at all was a puzzle to me. The NFL has been holding the draft in late April for quite some time. One would think that the NFL would have a standing reservation for the dates that they use every year. I think that this was all cooked up by "the Goods." He's a little schemer. "The Goods" has a vision of an NFL offseason with three huge events. One in each month. The Scouting Combine in March. Free Agency in April. The NFL Draft in May. Each a big event. Each made for the fans, of course. "The Goods" says that this is all for the fans. It's not. It's all done for the money. It's always for the money. London games. Thursday Night games. Playoff expansion. It's all done for the money. "The Goods" has to stop saying that it's for the fans. It's always done for the money. How much is enough? Of course, the fans will watch and pay for it all because we simply want our football.
Milking the draft process is simply wrong. It's already too long. It doesn't have to be. The NFL Draft used to be held before the end of the season. During the season! Imagine that! In my lifetime I've seen the draft held a couple of weeks after the Super Bowl. Inconceivable! I wouldn't push for a return to those days. That's crazy. April is a fine time for the draft. Keep it there. There's no reason to monkey with something that works.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Sellin' Stuff
The Top Player Sales List was released yesterday. It's a passing league and the leaders in merchandise sales are mostly quarterbacks. Nine of the top-10 are quarterbacks. Here are the top-20 players in merchandise sales:
1. Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
2. Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
3. Colin Kaepernick San Francisco 49ers
4. Robert Griffin III Washington Redskins
5. Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers
6. Tom Brady New England Patriots
7. Marshawn Lynch Seattle Seahawks
8. Eli Manning New York Giants
9. Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts
10. Drew Brees New Orleans Saints
11. J.J. Watt Houston Texans
12. Richard Sherman Seattle Seahawks
13. Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings
14. Clay Matthews Green Bay Packers
15. Jason Witten Dallas Cowboys
16. Patrick Willis San Francisco 49ers
17. Troy Polamalu Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Rob Gronkowski New England Patriots
19. Arian Foster Houston Texans
20. Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions
-the sales are based on all licnesed products-jerseys, t-shirts, player murals, figurines, matted and framed photos, bobbleheads, and stuff like that.
Of the top-20, the player that surprises me the most is Jason Witten. Especially seeing that he sells more stuff than teammate Tony Romo. I like Witten a lot. If I was to stoop so low as to buy a Cowboys jersey, that jersey would be a Witten jersey. I'm just surprised that Cowboys fans reach for Witten merchandise more often than Romo merchandise. The public likes winners. Three players from the Seattle Seahawks are among the top-20. There are also two members of the Houston Texans. The worst team in the league last season.
1. Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
2. Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
3. Colin Kaepernick San Francisco 49ers
4. Robert Griffin III Washington Redskins
5. Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers
6. Tom Brady New England Patriots
7. Marshawn Lynch Seattle Seahawks
8. Eli Manning New York Giants
9. Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts
10. Drew Brees New Orleans Saints
11. J.J. Watt Houston Texans
12. Richard Sherman Seattle Seahawks
13. Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings
14. Clay Matthews Green Bay Packers
15. Jason Witten Dallas Cowboys
16. Patrick Willis San Francisco 49ers
17. Troy Polamalu Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Rob Gronkowski New England Patriots
19. Arian Foster Houston Texans
20. Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions
-the sales are based on all licnesed products-jerseys, t-shirts, player murals, figurines, matted and framed photos, bobbleheads, and stuff like that.
Of the top-20, the player that surprises me the most is Jason Witten. Especially seeing that he sells more stuff than teammate Tony Romo. I like Witten a lot. If I was to stoop so low as to buy a Cowboys jersey, that jersey would be a Witten jersey. I'm just surprised that Cowboys fans reach for Witten merchandise more often than Romo merchandise. The public likes winners. Three players from the Seattle Seahawks are among the top-20. There are also two members of the Houston Texans. The worst team in the league last season.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Mocking the Mocks
Four decades ago, one would have to wait a while for a prediction of the NFL Draft. A Mock Draft. Sports Illustrated had a Mock Draft. So did The Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly. That was about it. All of them came out about a week before the draft. You had to wait. Now you can find a Mock Draft for the 2015 NFL Draft. 2015!? We don't even know who will be in the 2015 NFL Draft. In the 1970s there was no televised draft. There was no draft coverage. Even Mel Kiper Jr. was a few years away. The handful of mock drafts available were often our first introduction to how NFL teams might view some of the college football players. They actually served a purpose then. They definitely did for me. Mock drafts serve absolutely no purpose now. But, they sure are fun.
Fun. The fact that mocks are fun gives them license to be so damn annoying. The problem lies in that some fans take them for fact. Fans see that a player is slotted by some, often, anonymous person to be taken by a team at 24. That leads to other anonymous people to slot that player at that spot. Suddenly we have a concrete ranking for that player. Yet none of it has any basis in reality. Every single person that reports on the draft and every single person that follows the draft has an opinion on these NFL prospects. The opinions of those that follow the draft are often formed by those that cover the draft. Opinions. Everyone has them. Fans and supposed experts fall in love with certain prospects and that skews their rankings of all of the prospects. The funny thing about all of these rankings and ratings that we see and honor don't even matter. Each of the 32 NFL teams have their own. Each of those is different. These 32 different rankings determine the draft. The real draft. People are shocked when the real draft doesn't match an accepted mock draft. They'll say that a team reached for a player if a mock called for that player to be drafted several picks, or even a round, later. Sometimes the draft that matters most is the one that's most questioned. It's a mockery.
The craziest thing about mock drafts is the incredible number of them. There were a few in the 1970s and even into the 1980s. Without the internet you had to wait for the print edition of a magazine to arrive in your mailbox or at a store. It was a long wait. Not nearly as long as the wait for this year's draft but it was a very long wait. Now there are thousands, millions. Everyone has one, maybe two, often five. Hell, I've done about a dozen. I just can't stop. The real problem with mock drafts is that they are so damn fun. It's just a mistake to put any real weight in any of them. Especially those that are done two years in advance. That's a real mockery. Some mock drafts might carry more weight. I value the opinion of NFL Network's Mike Mayock so I look forward to the mock that he eventually does. Even Mayock's mock is rarely very accurate. His, like most, come off the rails before the real draft even leaves the top-10. There's just too many variables and opinions.
The extra two week wait for the draft is already unbearable. With two more weeks, mocks may cease being fun.
Fun. The fact that mocks are fun gives them license to be so damn annoying. The problem lies in that some fans take them for fact. Fans see that a player is slotted by some, often, anonymous person to be taken by a team at 24. That leads to other anonymous people to slot that player at that spot. Suddenly we have a concrete ranking for that player. Yet none of it has any basis in reality. Every single person that reports on the draft and every single person that follows the draft has an opinion on these NFL prospects. The opinions of those that follow the draft are often formed by those that cover the draft. Opinions. Everyone has them. Fans and supposed experts fall in love with certain prospects and that skews their rankings of all of the prospects. The funny thing about all of these rankings and ratings that we see and honor don't even matter. Each of the 32 NFL teams have their own. Each of those is different. These 32 different rankings determine the draft. The real draft. People are shocked when the real draft doesn't match an accepted mock draft. They'll say that a team reached for a player if a mock called for that player to be drafted several picks, or even a round, later. Sometimes the draft that matters most is the one that's most questioned. It's a mockery.
The craziest thing about mock drafts is the incredible number of them. There were a few in the 1970s and even into the 1980s. Without the internet you had to wait for the print edition of a magazine to arrive in your mailbox or at a store. It was a long wait. Not nearly as long as the wait for this year's draft but it was a very long wait. Now there are thousands, millions. Everyone has one, maybe two, often five. Hell, I've done about a dozen. I just can't stop. The real problem with mock drafts is that they are so damn fun. It's just a mistake to put any real weight in any of them. Especially those that are done two years in advance. That's a real mockery. Some mock drafts might carry more weight. I value the opinion of NFL Network's Mike Mayock so I look forward to the mock that he eventually does. Even Mayock's mock is rarely very accurate. His, like most, come off the rails before the real draft even leaves the top-10. There's just too many variables and opinions.
The extra two week wait for the draft is already unbearable. With two more weeks, mocks may cease being fun.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
The Schedule
This past week the NFL presented the 2014 NFL Schedule with a three-hour show on their own network, NFL Network. Incredible. The league had to do something to break the slowdown brought on by this ridiculously long wait for the 2014 NFL Draft. The funny thing about the grand presentation of the schedule is that we've known all of the games since the end of the 2013 season. The only mystery was when those games are played. Which is a pretty significant mystery. Fans can now make their plans for the fall.
I once saw a picture of then NFL commissioner Bert Bell, seated at his kitchen table, plotting the NFL schedule with dominoes on a chart. A lot has changed since those simple days of the 1940s and 1950s. Bell never had to plot more than twelve teams. The dominoes required now would fill Bert Bell's kitchen. They might even fill Roger Goodell's kitchen. Probably not. The process of coming up with the NFL schedule has intrigued me ever since I saw that picture of Bert Bell. It's a lot different now. Sports Illustrated's Peter King wrote a terrific article on "How the 2014 Schedule Was Made" for his Monday Morning Quarterback website. No more dominoes. Computers are used now.
"At NFL headquarters, four men and 40 computers work for 70 hours, sifting through a half-million possibilities."-Peter King
NFL senior VP broadcasting Howard Katz, NFL senior manager of broadcasting Jonathan Payne, NFL VP/broadcasting Onnie Bose, and NFL senior director of broadcasting Michael North are the four men. They have quite a task in front of them every single season. Fans have been screaming for the schedule for weeks. That's more because of the long wait for the draft than a true impatience over the schedule. The media talking-heads, perhaps parroting the raging fans, have questioned the delays. The many possibilities of a twelve-team league schedule forced Bert Bell to use easily maneuvered dominoes spread across a kitchen table. He was responsible for scheduling 144 games without a screaming public at his door. The four men tasked with the job this year had to schedule 512 games. The numbers alone are staggering but it's even more complicated than the numbers. A tour by some band called "One Direction" impacted the scheduling of several teams. Playing this season at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium forced restrictions on the Minnesota Vikings schedule. A quilting show even threw an obstacle in the path of the San Francisco 49ers schedule. A quilting show! The NFL will play three games in London. That's three more than is necessary but that's my own little issue. Those three games threw another set of variables into the equation for six teams which then impacted a bunch of other teams. It's a "butterfly effect." A lot goes into the NFL schedule. We shouldn't take the process for granted. The Flea Flicker salutes and thanks Howard Katz, Jonathan Payne, Onnie Bose, and Michael North. Maybe we'll one day get to the 2014 NFL Draft.
A quilting show!
I once saw a picture of then NFL commissioner Bert Bell, seated at his kitchen table, plotting the NFL schedule with dominoes on a chart. A lot has changed since those simple days of the 1940s and 1950s. Bell never had to plot more than twelve teams. The dominoes required now would fill Bert Bell's kitchen. They might even fill Roger Goodell's kitchen. Probably not. The process of coming up with the NFL schedule has intrigued me ever since I saw that picture of Bert Bell. It's a lot different now. Sports Illustrated's Peter King wrote a terrific article on "How the 2014 Schedule Was Made" for his Monday Morning Quarterback website. No more dominoes. Computers are used now.
"At NFL headquarters, four men and 40 computers work for 70 hours, sifting through a half-million possibilities."-Peter King
NFL senior VP broadcasting Howard Katz, NFL senior manager of broadcasting Jonathan Payne, NFL VP/broadcasting Onnie Bose, and NFL senior director of broadcasting Michael North are the four men. They have quite a task in front of them every single season. Fans have been screaming for the schedule for weeks. That's more because of the long wait for the draft than a true impatience over the schedule. The media talking-heads, perhaps parroting the raging fans, have questioned the delays. The many possibilities of a twelve-team league schedule forced Bert Bell to use easily maneuvered dominoes spread across a kitchen table. He was responsible for scheduling 144 games without a screaming public at his door. The four men tasked with the job this year had to schedule 512 games. The numbers alone are staggering but it's even more complicated than the numbers. A tour by some band called "One Direction" impacted the scheduling of several teams. Playing this season at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium forced restrictions on the Minnesota Vikings schedule. A quilting show even threw an obstacle in the path of the San Francisco 49ers schedule. A quilting show! The NFL will play three games in London. That's three more than is necessary but that's my own little issue. Those three games threw another set of variables into the equation for six teams which then impacted a bunch of other teams. It's a "butterfly effect." A lot goes into the NFL schedule. We shouldn't take the process for granted. The Flea Flicker salutes and thanks Howard Katz, Jonathan Payne, Onnie Bose, and Michael North. Maybe we'll one day get to the 2014 NFL Draft.
A quilting show!
Saturday, April 26, 2014
RIP Mr. Morrall
Former NFL quarterback Earl Morrall passed away yesterday morning. He was 79.
As my NFL interest and passion developed in the 1970s, I found Earl Morrall to be one of the more remarkable football players in the league. He played for the Miami Dolphins at the time and it seemed to provide that team with unfair riches at quarterback. Bob Griese was the starter. He was an all-star and future Hall of Famer. Morrall was the backup. Whenever I saw him play he looked like a star. If the Dolphins ever needed a miracle, Morrall would come off the bench and provide it. He was also about 40 years old at the time. He'd been playing in the NFL since the 1950s. He seemed timeless. He always seemed to have the answers.
Earl Morrall was an All-American at Michigan St. He led the Spartans to two Rose Bowl victories. He was the second overall pick in the 1956 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. His NFL career immediately became one of the most puzzling NFL careers that I've ever seen. He played for 21 seasons and six teams. He was always considered a top NFL quarterback but was never a consistent starter. In those 21 seasons he started more than ten games only four times. He won the MVP when he was with the Baltimore Colts in 1968. He played in 1968 because John Unitas didn't. The Colts were 13-1 that season. Some football people thought that Morrall was leading one of the greatest teams in league history. That thought changed when the New York Jets upset that Colts team in Super Bowl III. The 1972 Miami Dolphins won every game that they played, including Super Bowl VII. Earl Morrall did most of the work at quarterback that season and led them to the Super Bowl. Bob Griese returned for that game. Morrall was rewarded with the inaugural Comeback Player of the Year award that season. The highlights of Earl Morrall's career read like those of a long-time starter. MVP, All-Pro, and Pro Bowl recognition. Six teams. He's best known for his years with the Colts and Dolphins. He played for the San Francisco 49ers(1 year), Pittsburgh Steelers(1+years), Detroit Lions(6+ years), and New York Giants(3 years) before that. He was given one year to start with the Steelers, Lions, and Giants and then each team moved on from there. The Steelers to Hall of Famer Bobby Layne. The Giants to Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton. He often sat on the bench while a future Hall of Fame quarterback was on the field. He never received a sustained opportunity to start. He had his longest stint with the Lions. The one team that couldn't find a Hall of Famer to replace him. Perhaps the Lions should have found more time for Morrall. Fair or unfair, he found his niche as a spot starter or reliever. His play in 1968 and 1972 showed that he could be fantastic in the short term. There's no way of knowing for sure if he could be that effective for more than a year. He never had the chance. It's a little difficult to wrestle the starting quarterback job from Unitas and Griese. Or Layne. Or Tarkenton.
After Earl Morrall retired from the NFL he coached quarterbacks at the University of Miami. It wasn't a stretch for him as he seemed to be a coach on the field in all the years that I watched him play. With the Hurricanes he coached Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde. All went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
In the 1970s, Earl Morrall was the wise, old quarterback that could always save the day for the Miami Dolphins. As a kid, I couldn't understand why he spent most of his time wearing a cap, holding a clipboard, standing on the sideline. He was too good to not be under center for some team in the NFL.
RIP Earl Morrall.
As my NFL interest and passion developed in the 1970s, I found Earl Morrall to be one of the more remarkable football players in the league. He played for the Miami Dolphins at the time and it seemed to provide that team with unfair riches at quarterback. Bob Griese was the starter. He was an all-star and future Hall of Famer. Morrall was the backup. Whenever I saw him play he looked like a star. If the Dolphins ever needed a miracle, Morrall would come off the bench and provide it. He was also about 40 years old at the time. He'd been playing in the NFL since the 1950s. He seemed timeless. He always seemed to have the answers.
Earl Morrall was an All-American at Michigan St. He led the Spartans to two Rose Bowl victories. He was the second overall pick in the 1956 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. His NFL career immediately became one of the most puzzling NFL careers that I've ever seen. He played for 21 seasons and six teams. He was always considered a top NFL quarterback but was never a consistent starter. In those 21 seasons he started more than ten games only four times. He won the MVP when he was with the Baltimore Colts in 1968. He played in 1968 because John Unitas didn't. The Colts were 13-1 that season. Some football people thought that Morrall was leading one of the greatest teams in league history. That thought changed when the New York Jets upset that Colts team in Super Bowl III. The 1972 Miami Dolphins won every game that they played, including Super Bowl VII. Earl Morrall did most of the work at quarterback that season and led them to the Super Bowl. Bob Griese returned for that game. Morrall was rewarded with the inaugural Comeback Player of the Year award that season. The highlights of Earl Morrall's career read like those of a long-time starter. MVP, All-Pro, and Pro Bowl recognition. Six teams. He's best known for his years with the Colts and Dolphins. He played for the San Francisco 49ers(1 year), Pittsburgh Steelers(1+years), Detroit Lions(6+ years), and New York Giants(3 years) before that. He was given one year to start with the Steelers, Lions, and Giants and then each team moved on from there. The Steelers to Hall of Famer Bobby Layne. The Giants to Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton. He often sat on the bench while a future Hall of Fame quarterback was on the field. He never received a sustained opportunity to start. He had his longest stint with the Lions. The one team that couldn't find a Hall of Famer to replace him. Perhaps the Lions should have found more time for Morrall. Fair or unfair, he found his niche as a spot starter or reliever. His play in 1968 and 1972 showed that he could be fantastic in the short term. There's no way of knowing for sure if he could be that effective for more than a year. He never had the chance. It's a little difficult to wrestle the starting quarterback job from Unitas and Griese. Or Layne. Or Tarkenton.
After Earl Morrall retired from the NFL he coached quarterbacks at the University of Miami. It wasn't a stretch for him as he seemed to be a coach on the field in all the years that I watched him play. With the Hurricanes he coached Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde. All went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
In the 1970s, Earl Morrall was the wise, old quarterback that could always save the day for the Miami Dolphins. As a kid, I couldn't understand why he spent most of his time wearing a cap, holding a clipboard, standing on the sideline. He was too good to not be under center for some team in the NFL.
RIP Earl Morrall.
Friday, April 25, 2014
What Should Have Been
The 2014 NFL Draft should have kicked off last night. The claim was that a conflict at Radio City Music Hall for this week kept the NFL from continuing with their "same time next year" draft scheduling policy. I cry horseshit! I think that moving the draft back two weeks is one the first steps in Roger "the Goods" Goodell's grand vision of a "made for prime time" offseason. Shift everything and turn everything into some fantastic pageant. The Scouting Combine in March. Free agency in April. The Draft in May. Mini-camps in June. Then training camp and finally the NFL season. All of it a pageant. All of it for showing off the shield. Even the NFL can get too big. Just ask Mark Cuban.
I find it a little depressing that we could have, should have, been in the middle of the NFL Draft right now. Waiting for an April Draft already felt like an eternity. The excitement of free agency begins to die down before we even enter this month. That leaves about three weeks to catch up with draft stuff. Two more weeks of draft talk and prep is overkill. Everyone is ready for the draft now. I'll bet that every NFL coach and general manager would rather have those two weeks after the draft than before. They'd much rather spend those two weeks working on what they do have than guessing what they might have. How many times can they check those lists? How many mocks can we make?
Maybe I'm just being selfish. Moving the draft back two weeks is just about the dumbest thing the NFL has ever done.
I find it a little depressing that we could have, should have, been in the middle of the NFL Draft right now. Waiting for an April Draft already felt like an eternity. The excitement of free agency begins to die down before we even enter this month. That leaves about three weeks to catch up with draft stuff. Two more weeks of draft talk and prep is overkill. Everyone is ready for the draft now. I'll bet that every NFL coach and general manager would rather have those two weeks after the draft than before. They'd much rather spend those two weeks working on what they do have than guessing what they might have. How many times can they check those lists? How many mocks can we make?
Maybe I'm just being selfish. Moving the draft back two weeks is just about the dumbest thing the NFL has ever done.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Throwback Thursday: The NFL Owners
So, Donald Trump might be interested in buying the Buffalo Bills. With that news there's been some speculation that some of the owners might still harbor some ill feelings toward Trump. As owner of the New Jersey Generals, Trump was part rival league USFL's antitrust lawsuit against the NFL in 1986. Those possible ill feelings got me wondering how many of the current NFL owners even owned their teams in 1986. There's been some changes in the last 27 years. The Minnesota Vikings, for example, have had three different ownership groups since that lawsuit. Here's the ownership situation of the NFL now and in 1986.
San Francisco 49ers-Jed York, nephew of 1986 owner Eddie DeBartolo
Seattle Seahawks-Paul Allen. Lloyd Nordstrom owned the team in 1986.
St. Louis Rams-Stan Kroenke. Georgia Frontiere then.
Arizona Cardinals-Bidwell family then and now.
Minnesota Vikings-Wilf family. Max Winter was the principal owner in 1986.
Chicago Bears-Virginia Halas McCaskey then and now.
Green Bay Packers-nutty bunch of Packers fans.
Detroit Lions-Ford family then and now.
New York Giants-John Mara/Steve Tisch. Wellington Mara then.
Washington Redskins-Daniel Snyder. Jack Kent Cooke then.
Philadelphia Eagles- Jeffrey Lurie. Norman Braman then.
Dallas Cowboys-Jerry Jones. Harvey Bright then.
New Orleans Saints-Tom Benson then and now.
Atlanta Falcons-Arthur Blank. Rankin Smith then.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Malcolm Glazer. Hugh Culverhouse then.
Carolina Panthers-Jerry Richardson. 1995 expansion team.
Oakland Raiders-Davis family then and now.
San Diego Chargers-Alex Spanos then and now.
Denver Broncos-Pat Bowlen then and now.
Kansas City Chiefs-Hunt family then and now.
Pittsburgh Steelers-Rooney family then and now.
Cincinnati Bengals-Brown family then and now.
Cleveland Browns-Jimmy Haslam.
Baltimore Ravens-Steve Bisciotti. Art Modell owned the Browns then.
Buffalo Bills-Wilson family then and now.
New England Patriots-Robert Kraft. Billy Sullivan then.
New York Jets-Woody Johnson. Leon Hess then.
Miami Dolphins-Stephen Ross. Joe Robbie then.
Indianapolis Colts-Irsay family then and now.
Jacksonville Jaguars-Shahid Kahn. 1995 expansion team
Houston Texans-Robert McNair. 1999 expansion team.
Tennessee Titans-Adams family then as the Houston Oilers and now.
The Baltimore Ravens were the Cleveland Browns prior to 1996. The current Cleveland Browns are an expansion more than they are the team that dominated the AAFC in the late 1940s and the NFL for much of the 1950s and won their last NFL title in 1964. I didn't realize it until now but the NFC has had much more ownership change in recent years than the AFC. Half of the current NFL owners have ties to the 1986 days when the league, as we knew it, was threatened by Trump and his rival league. Some were kids like Jed York. Others have moved up to ownership status following the passing of their fathers. John Mara, Mark Davis, Clark Hunt, and Jim Irsay among them. I actually don't think that Trump's role in the USFL and the antitrust lawsuit will keep him from pursuing ownership of the Bills or any NFL team that is on the market. The NFL is all about money and Trump certainly has that.
San Francisco 49ers-Jed York, nephew of 1986 owner Eddie DeBartolo
Seattle Seahawks-Paul Allen. Lloyd Nordstrom owned the team in 1986.
St. Louis Rams-Stan Kroenke. Georgia Frontiere then.
Arizona Cardinals-Bidwell family then and now.
Minnesota Vikings-Wilf family. Max Winter was the principal owner in 1986.
Chicago Bears-Virginia Halas McCaskey then and now.
Green Bay Packers-nutty bunch of Packers fans.
Detroit Lions-Ford family then and now.
New York Giants-John Mara/Steve Tisch. Wellington Mara then.
Washington Redskins-Daniel Snyder. Jack Kent Cooke then.
Philadelphia Eagles- Jeffrey Lurie. Norman Braman then.
Dallas Cowboys-Jerry Jones. Harvey Bright then.
New Orleans Saints-Tom Benson then and now.
Atlanta Falcons-Arthur Blank. Rankin Smith then.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Malcolm Glazer. Hugh Culverhouse then.
Carolina Panthers-Jerry Richardson. 1995 expansion team.
Oakland Raiders-Davis family then and now.
San Diego Chargers-Alex Spanos then and now.
Denver Broncos-Pat Bowlen then and now.
Kansas City Chiefs-Hunt family then and now.
Pittsburgh Steelers-Rooney family then and now.
Cincinnati Bengals-Brown family then and now.
Cleveland Browns-Jimmy Haslam.
Baltimore Ravens-Steve Bisciotti. Art Modell owned the Browns then.
Buffalo Bills-Wilson family then and now.
New England Patriots-Robert Kraft. Billy Sullivan then.
New York Jets-Woody Johnson. Leon Hess then.
Miami Dolphins-Stephen Ross. Joe Robbie then.
Indianapolis Colts-Irsay family then and now.
Jacksonville Jaguars-Shahid Kahn. 1995 expansion team
Houston Texans-Robert McNair. 1999 expansion team.
Tennessee Titans-Adams family then as the Houston Oilers and now.
The Baltimore Ravens were the Cleveland Browns prior to 1996. The current Cleveland Browns are an expansion more than they are the team that dominated the AAFC in the late 1940s and the NFL for much of the 1950s and won their last NFL title in 1964. I didn't realize it until now but the NFC has had much more ownership change in recent years than the AFC. Half of the current NFL owners have ties to the 1986 days when the league, as we knew it, was threatened by Trump and his rival league. Some were kids like Jed York. Others have moved up to ownership status following the passing of their fathers. John Mara, Mark Davis, Clark Hunt, and Jim Irsay among them. I actually don't think that Trump's role in the USFL and the antitrust lawsuit will keep him from pursuing ownership of the Bills or any NFL team that is on the market. The NFL is all about money and Trump certainly has that.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Draft Invites
It wasn't too long ago that only a handful of college players were invited to New York for the NFL Draft. Then the NFL got the brilliant idea to invite a bunch. And they have. Yesterday the league announced that 30 prospects have confirmed they will attend the draft, the most ever. Here they are:
Blake Bortles QB Central Florida
Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
Jimmy Garropolo QB E. Illinois
Greg Robinson OT Auburn
Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M
Taylor Lewan OT Michigan
Morgan Moses OT Virginia
Cyrus Kouandjio OT Alabama
Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
Odell Beckham WR LSU
Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St.
Marqise Lee WR USC
Jordan Matthews WR Vanderbilt
Cody Latimer WR Indiana
Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
Kony Ealy DE Missouri
Timmy Jernigan DT Florida St.
Ra'Shede Hageman DT Minnesota
Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St.
Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
Jason Verrett CB TCU
Bradley Roby CB Ohio St.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S Alabama
Calvin Pryor S Louisville
No running backs! This game sure has changed. I'd heard that Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald had turned down an invite. As did his teammate, quarterback Tom Savage. I assume that UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr did the same. He most certainly would have been extended an invitation. Some of these players want to spend this big event in a more personal setting with family. Hell, Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas was fishing when he got the call from the Cleveland Browns in 2007. Next time we see these players will be in Radio City Music Hall with their dreams about to come true.
Blake Bortles QB Central Florida
Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
Jimmy Garropolo QB E. Illinois
Greg Robinson OT Auburn
Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M
Taylor Lewan OT Michigan
Morgan Moses OT Virginia
Cyrus Kouandjio OT Alabama
Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
Odell Beckham WR LSU
Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St.
Marqise Lee WR USC
Jordan Matthews WR Vanderbilt
Cody Latimer WR Indiana
Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
Kony Ealy DE Missouri
Timmy Jernigan DT Florida St.
Ra'Shede Hageman DT Minnesota
Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St.
Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
Jason Verrett CB TCU
Bradley Roby CB Ohio St.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S Alabama
Calvin Pryor S Louisville
No running backs! This game sure has changed. I'd heard that Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald had turned down an invite. As did his teammate, quarterback Tom Savage. I assume that UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr did the same. He most certainly would have been extended an invitation. Some of these players want to spend this big event in a more personal setting with family. Hell, Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas was fishing when he got the call from the Cleveland Browns in 2007. Next time we see these players will be in Radio City Music Hall with their dreams about to come true.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
The Chosen 3 And Dream 1
I wrote earlier about the 2014 NFL Draft puzzle. More than any year in recent memory I haven't a clue as to which player I expect or even hope is selected in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings. I usually have this narrowed down to a particular position, sometimes to a particular player, about a month before the draft. With nearly two weeks to go, I have whittled the choices down to three players and one great, seemingly impossible, dream. So, I haven't really narrowed it down much at all. What a puzzle this is.
I hope that a miracle happens on May 8 and the Minnesota Vikings are able to select:
Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
I seriously doubt that Mack makes it to the Vikings pick at #8. I have doubts that he makes it past three teams. Strange things can happen in the draft so you never know. Maybe there's a run on three, even four, quarterbacks and the top three tackles. Throw Sammy Watkins in there somewhere and suddenly Mack is there at #8. Wow! Wouldn't that be great? Maybe the Vikings trade up to grab Kahlil Mack. Who knows?
As far as my more realistic hopes, I've narrowed my choices for the Vikings first pick down to three:
Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
Anthony Barr LB UCLA
Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
I really think that Teddy Bridgewater is the best quarterback in this draft. He's been killed by the media since the end of his college career. His last throw that counted was part of his shredding of Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Immediately after the game, a lot of the draft talk revolved around Bridgewater being the top pick in the upcoming draft. His draft stock has been dropping ever since. I guess that it really had nowhere else to go but he's been in a free fall since January. Some media hacks even have him falling out of the first round. What's changed? I didn't see a lot of his games at Louisville but I saw enough to be convinced that he can play at a high level at the next level. He simply gets this game. I became a real believer while viewing his appearance on Jon Gruden's "Gruden's Quarterback Camp" series. I've seen Gruden put a lot of quarterbacks on the board to diagram and explain plays and schemes and to dissect defenses. I've never seen another quarterback take to this task like Bridgewater. Most quarterbacks seem to be reading from a script. Simply regurgitating information. Bridgewater really seems to enjoy this part of the game. Most quarterbacks just say what they are expected to say to get through this apparent torture. Bridgewater says a whole lot more. I thought that Gruden was going to have to take the pen away and pull Bridgewater from the board. Again, he gets this game. I really like this kid.
I'm sold on Teddy Bridgewater as the top quarterback in this draft. I'm not sold that quarterback should be the Vikings pick at #8. This is what makes this draft such a puzzle. This is such a deep draft at so many positions. There are some unique defensive players available early in the draft and there are some really talented quarterbacks that should be available in the second and third rounds. The value might be such that picking one of those defensive players early and a quarterback later is the best path for the Vikings. If that is the path that they take, Anthony Barr and Justin Gilbert are at the top of my list. Barr has the natural athletic ability to match Mack. The only real knock on Barr is that he's played defense for only two seasons. He started his college playing career as a running back. Since he's very raw he's considered by many to be a boom-or-bust candidate. He's also considered by many to be mostly an edge rusher. His ability to drop into coverage is questioned. The Vikings would probably be looking at him as a linebacker so dropping into coverage would be a desired ability. I think that people get too hung up on assigned roles. They have a vision of the traditional responsibilities of a particular position and a player has to fit that position perfectly to be able to play football. I think that new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer would find a position and a role for a defensive player like as physically gifted as Anthony Barr and just turn him loose. It may be an entirely new position. It may be a traditional position with a few extra responsibilities. Zimmer and his defensive staff would find a way for Barr to be an effective football player. When it comes to Justin Gilbert, you just have to put him opposite a receiver and let him do his stuff. Gilbert is an incredibly fluid, tall corner. He's a terrific runner with the ball in his hands. Great punt returner. I cry when I think of the possibilities of Xavier Rhodes at one corner, Gilbert on the other side, and Captain Munnerlyn in the slot.
So, there you go. I dream of Kahlil Mack. I've narrowed my realistic hopes to Teddy Bridgewater, Anthony Barr, and Justin Gilbert. Probably in that order. At least for now. Or, maybe Aaron Donald, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Darqueze Denard.
I hope that a miracle happens on May 8 and the Minnesota Vikings are able to select:
Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
I seriously doubt that Mack makes it to the Vikings pick at #8. I have doubts that he makes it past three teams. Strange things can happen in the draft so you never know. Maybe there's a run on three, even four, quarterbacks and the top three tackles. Throw Sammy Watkins in there somewhere and suddenly Mack is there at #8. Wow! Wouldn't that be great? Maybe the Vikings trade up to grab Kahlil Mack. Who knows?
As far as my more realistic hopes, I've narrowed my choices for the Vikings first pick down to three:
Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
Anthony Barr LB UCLA
Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
I really think that Teddy Bridgewater is the best quarterback in this draft. He's been killed by the media since the end of his college career. His last throw that counted was part of his shredding of Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Immediately after the game, a lot of the draft talk revolved around Bridgewater being the top pick in the upcoming draft. His draft stock has been dropping ever since. I guess that it really had nowhere else to go but he's been in a free fall since January. Some media hacks even have him falling out of the first round. What's changed? I didn't see a lot of his games at Louisville but I saw enough to be convinced that he can play at a high level at the next level. He simply gets this game. I became a real believer while viewing his appearance on Jon Gruden's "Gruden's Quarterback Camp" series. I've seen Gruden put a lot of quarterbacks on the board to diagram and explain plays and schemes and to dissect defenses. I've never seen another quarterback take to this task like Bridgewater. Most quarterbacks seem to be reading from a script. Simply regurgitating information. Bridgewater really seems to enjoy this part of the game. Most quarterbacks just say what they are expected to say to get through this apparent torture. Bridgewater says a whole lot more. I thought that Gruden was going to have to take the pen away and pull Bridgewater from the board. Again, he gets this game. I really like this kid.
I'm sold on Teddy Bridgewater as the top quarterback in this draft. I'm not sold that quarterback should be the Vikings pick at #8. This is what makes this draft such a puzzle. This is such a deep draft at so many positions. There are some unique defensive players available early in the draft and there are some really talented quarterbacks that should be available in the second and third rounds. The value might be such that picking one of those defensive players early and a quarterback later is the best path for the Vikings. If that is the path that they take, Anthony Barr and Justin Gilbert are at the top of my list. Barr has the natural athletic ability to match Mack. The only real knock on Barr is that he's played defense for only two seasons. He started his college playing career as a running back. Since he's very raw he's considered by many to be a boom-or-bust candidate. He's also considered by many to be mostly an edge rusher. His ability to drop into coverage is questioned. The Vikings would probably be looking at him as a linebacker so dropping into coverage would be a desired ability. I think that people get too hung up on assigned roles. They have a vision of the traditional responsibilities of a particular position and a player has to fit that position perfectly to be able to play football. I think that new Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer would find a position and a role for a defensive player like as physically gifted as Anthony Barr and just turn him loose. It may be an entirely new position. It may be a traditional position with a few extra responsibilities. Zimmer and his defensive staff would find a way for Barr to be an effective football player. When it comes to Justin Gilbert, you just have to put him opposite a receiver and let him do his stuff. Gilbert is an incredibly fluid, tall corner. He's a terrific runner with the ball in his hands. Great punt returner. I cry when I think of the possibilities of Xavier Rhodes at one corner, Gilbert on the other side, and Captain Munnerlyn in the slot.
So, there you go. I dream of Kahlil Mack. I've narrowed my realistic hopes to Teddy Bridgewater, Anthony Barr, and Justin Gilbert. Probably in that order. At least for now. Or, maybe Aaron Donald, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Darqueze Denard.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Come On!
The offseason restrictions of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement can be ridiculous. The most ridiculous of these restrictions is the one that prevents coaches and players from meeting before the start of their offseason programs. Teams with new head coaches get a head start. This year those teams started a couple of weeks ago. The rest of the teams can end their forced isolation this week. These stupid rules were put in place to protect players from being forced by their coaches to do extra offseason work. These rules also exist to provide a level playing field for all 32 NFL teams. As a result we have this ridiculous, CBA-enforced restraining order surrounding every NFL player and every NFL coach. If player and coach happen to run into each other during the offseason, the most that they can do is say "Hi" and go on their way. I just seems so childish. High school and college football can do more offseason football work than the professionals. The more dedicated NFL players can get together on their own but no coaches can be involved. This doesn't sound very professional.
These offseason restrictions have been a talking point lately because of the football savant Peyton Manning. The never satisfied quarterback spends most of his waking hours seeking to get better at the game that he already plays so well. This quest takes him around the country. Recently, it took him to Tuscaloosa and a visit with Alabama head coach Nick Saban and his staff. The problem with this little football visit was that Adam Gase, Manning's offensive coordinator with the Broncos, was also visiting with Saban. Gase got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant for Saban at LSU. Manning was in Tuscaloosa to study some football. Gase was there for mostly social reasons. Both being there at the same time was coincidental. Saban even said that the extent of the conversation between Gase and Manning amounted to "Hi." I doubt that they would be so open about the coincidence if there was something sinister taking place. Even if the meeting wasn't coincidental I see nothing wrong with Adam Gase and Peyton Manning studying football together with the Alabama coaches. I see nothing wrong with them working together to get better at their profession at any time of the calendar year. If they want to spend their down time on football, so be it. I love it when football players take the initiative in trying to get better at their profession. Who cares if their coaches are around to assist in those efforts?
The CBA is an agreement between the owners and players. Despite being an integral part of the NFL, the coaches have no say in the rules that they are forced to follow. The rules that impact every single one of their practices are forced upon them. That's a terrible way to work. The owners get richer, the players are more pampered, and the coaches are told how to do their jobs. It makes no sense to me that individuals that are only trying to get better at their craft are being kept from doing so. It's now an NFL crime to study football in March and April. Come on!
These offseason restrictions have been a talking point lately because of the football savant Peyton Manning. The never satisfied quarterback spends most of his waking hours seeking to get better at the game that he already plays so well. This quest takes him around the country. Recently, it took him to Tuscaloosa and a visit with Alabama head coach Nick Saban and his staff. The problem with this little football visit was that Adam Gase, Manning's offensive coordinator with the Broncos, was also visiting with Saban. Gase got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant for Saban at LSU. Manning was in Tuscaloosa to study some football. Gase was there for mostly social reasons. Both being there at the same time was coincidental. Saban even said that the extent of the conversation between Gase and Manning amounted to "Hi." I doubt that they would be so open about the coincidence if there was something sinister taking place. Even if the meeting wasn't coincidental I see nothing wrong with Adam Gase and Peyton Manning studying football together with the Alabama coaches. I see nothing wrong with them working together to get better at their profession at any time of the calendar year. If they want to spend their down time on football, so be it. I love it when football players take the initiative in trying to get better at their profession. Who cares if their coaches are around to assist in those efforts?
The CBA is an agreement between the owners and players. Despite being an integral part of the NFL, the coaches have no say in the rules that they are forced to follow. The rules that impact every single one of their practices are forced upon them. That's a terrible way to work. The owners get richer, the players are more pampered, and the coaches are told how to do their jobs. It makes no sense to me that individuals that are only trying to get better at their craft are being kept from doing so. It's now an NFL crime to study football in March and April. Come on!
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Top 30
Each NFL team is allowed 30 non-local draft prospect visits to their facility prior to the draft. Each team approaches this differently. I first became aware of this 30-visit rule about the same time that I became aware that the Minnesota Vikings used most of their 30 visits in one big meet and greet. Their Top-30 Event! The 2014 event was held last week. At first, I thought that this was a ridiculous idea. How can you find out anything about the guests with so many guests? I've since learned that one of the reasons that the Vikings do this is to see how these prospects interact with each other. It's a psychological/social event. I've also learned that the "top-30" title is a bit of a misnomer. Last year, Appalachian St. punter Sam Martin was part of the Vikings event. No offense intended but it takes a real special punter to be considered among the top-30 in any draft. Martin was taken in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. That's pretty good for a punter but far from the top-30. The Vikings don't use all of their 30 visits in this one event. They'll have some individual visits throughout the way-too-long draft evaluation months. The number of prospects on the invite list to the big event varies each year. As far as I know, the Vikings never release an official list of the draft prospects in attendance. The media and the curious usually piece the list together as best they can from the comments of those in the know. It's always interesting to look back at these lists to see if any of the invited players actually became Minnesota Vikings football players. Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson were in attendance last year. Both were selected by the Vikings in the first round. They even traded back into the first round to select Patterson. Their other first round pick, Florida St. corner Xavier Rhodes, wasn't part of the event. So, you can't really tell the Vikings preferences from the invite list. It's just part of the process. They are certainly curious about all of the prospects invited but it's no guarantee of genuine interest. As far as I can gather of the invites to the Minnesota Vikings 2014 "Top-30" Event, the following prospects were at the team's facility last week:
Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
Terrance West RB Towson
Lamin Barrow LB LSU
Preston Brown LB Louisville
Brock Vereen S Minnesota
Deone Bucannon S Washington St.
Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
Lavonta Freeman RB Florida St.
Anthony Barr LB UCLA
Demarcus Lawrence DE Boise St.
Luke Bowanko C Virginia
Keith Wenning QB Ball St.
Billy Turner T North Dakota St.
Bryn Renner QB North Carolina
Tom Savage QB Pitt
If I understand the local/non-local visit criteria correctly, Vereen's visit may not count against the 30 total. The attention paid to Bridgewater by the Vikings is becoming very interesting. Not only was he at this event, he was at the Vikings facility earlier in the week. A stay that was supposed last a couple of days turned into three. If I understand the visits criteria correctly, the Vikings used two of their 30 visits on Bridgewater. Add that to the attention paid to the quarterback at the Scouting Combine and his Pro Day, the Vikings are spending a lot of time and effort on Teddy Bridgewater. I think that it's too much time and effort to be a smoke screen. They are very much interested in him. While I'm not convinced that quarterback is the best choice at #8, I am fairly certain that the Vikings will have to use that pick on Bridgewater if they are sold on him as a franchise quarterback. I don't buy this nonsense that he falls out of the first round. As for some of the other invites to this big event, I wouldn't mind seeing Bucannon and Turner on the Vikings next year. I would absolutely love to see Kahlil Mack be available to the Vikings but that is just a dream. A beautiful dream.
Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
Terrance West RB Towson
Lamin Barrow LB LSU
Preston Brown LB Louisville
Brock Vereen S Minnesota
Deone Bucannon S Washington St.
Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
Lavonta Freeman RB Florida St.
Anthony Barr LB UCLA
Demarcus Lawrence DE Boise St.
Luke Bowanko C Virginia
Keith Wenning QB Ball St.
Billy Turner T North Dakota St.
Bryn Renner QB North Carolina
Tom Savage QB Pitt
If I understand the local/non-local visit criteria correctly, Vereen's visit may not count against the 30 total. The attention paid to Bridgewater by the Vikings is becoming very interesting. Not only was he at this event, he was at the Vikings facility earlier in the week. A stay that was supposed last a couple of days turned into three. If I understand the visits criteria correctly, the Vikings used two of their 30 visits on Bridgewater. Add that to the attention paid to the quarterback at the Scouting Combine and his Pro Day, the Vikings are spending a lot of time and effort on Teddy Bridgewater. I think that it's too much time and effort to be a smoke screen. They are very much interested in him. While I'm not convinced that quarterback is the best choice at #8, I am fairly certain that the Vikings will have to use that pick on Bridgewater if they are sold on him as a franchise quarterback. I don't buy this nonsense that he falls out of the first round. As for some of the other invites to this big event, I wouldn't mind seeing Bucannon and Turner on the Vikings next year. I would absolutely love to see Kahlil Mack be available to the Vikings but that is just a dream. A beautiful dream.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Vikings Offseason, So Far
The biggest addition of the Minnesota Vikings offseason was the hiring of head coach Mike Zimmer. He wanted teachers on his coaching staff and I think that he has them. This is the most confident that I've been with the coaching since Bud Grant led the team. If the Vikings had made no moves in free agency, I think that they are improved simply with the Mike Zimmer hire. Fortunately, the Vikings did sign some players. They really had to improve the talent on the team. Especially on defense. Here's what they've done so far:
Re-signed
QB Matt Cassel
DE Everson Griffen
WR Jerome Simpson
OL Joe Berger
G Charlie Johnson
CB Marcus Sherels
DT Fred Evans
LB Larry Dean
Signed
DT Linval Joseph
CB Captain Munnerlyn
CB Derek Cox
LB Jasper Brinkley
DT Tom Johnson
DE Corey Wootton
G Vladimir Ducasse
S Kurt Coleman
WR Lestar Jean
LB Terrell Manning
TE Allen Resiner
The Vikings really made no splashy signings. Re-signing Griffen and signing Joseph were probably the closest to splashy. They were certainly the biggest in terms of salary. The most significant signings were Cassel, Griffen, Joseph, and Munnerlyn. The Vikings had to keep Cassel. He's certainly not the long term answer at quarterback but they needed someone reliable in the sort term. They needed omeone that could lead the team as they transition to the "hopeful" franchise quarterback that is added in the draft. Griffen has a ton of football talent. He's ready to explode onto the football scene. Some in the media have winced at the contract that was given to him. I don't think that those people have taken the time to see enough of Griffen to judge since he's been a backup to Jared Allen for the past four years. When Griffen is on on the field he's been a difference-maker. Joseph will provide the big interior presence that the Vikings have greatly lacked since Pat Williams. Munnerlyn will help a secondary that was pretty shitty last year. He'll be a welcome presence opposite the very promising Xavier Rhodes. Cox was a big free agent signing of the San Diego Chargers last year. He was terrible in his one year with the team. Prior to that, he showed a lot of promise in his four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Zimmer and secondary coach Jerry Gray can get Cox back to the way he was playing earlier in his career, the Vikings might have a steal. Johnson and especially Wootton will be nice additions to the defensive line rotation. Brinkley and Resiner are making their second appearances on the Vikings roster.
The Vikings didn't do a lot in free agency but they did what they had to do. They maintained some stability at quarterback. They kept some key starters. They added a couple of new starters in Linval Joseph and Captain Munnerlyn. They improved the team's depth. The most important part of the offseason is the NFL Draft. The Vikings have put themselves in a position where they aren't forced to concentrate on one position. The work done in free agency has given them options in the draft.
Re-signed
QB Matt Cassel
DE Everson Griffen
WR Jerome Simpson
OL Joe Berger
G Charlie Johnson
CB Marcus Sherels
DT Fred Evans
LB Larry Dean
Signed
DT Linval Joseph
CB Captain Munnerlyn
CB Derek Cox
LB Jasper Brinkley
DT Tom Johnson
DE Corey Wootton
G Vladimir Ducasse
S Kurt Coleman
WR Lestar Jean
LB Terrell Manning
TE Allen Resiner
The Vikings really made no splashy signings. Re-signing Griffen and signing Joseph were probably the closest to splashy. They were certainly the biggest in terms of salary. The most significant signings were Cassel, Griffen, Joseph, and Munnerlyn. The Vikings had to keep Cassel. He's certainly not the long term answer at quarterback but they needed someone reliable in the sort term. They needed omeone that could lead the team as they transition to the "hopeful" franchise quarterback that is added in the draft. Griffen has a ton of football talent. He's ready to explode onto the football scene. Some in the media have winced at the contract that was given to him. I don't think that those people have taken the time to see enough of Griffen to judge since he's been a backup to Jared Allen for the past four years. When Griffen is on on the field he's been a difference-maker. Joseph will provide the big interior presence that the Vikings have greatly lacked since Pat Williams. Munnerlyn will help a secondary that was pretty shitty last year. He'll be a welcome presence opposite the very promising Xavier Rhodes. Cox was a big free agent signing of the San Diego Chargers last year. He was terrible in his one year with the team. Prior to that, he showed a lot of promise in his four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Zimmer and secondary coach Jerry Gray can get Cox back to the way he was playing earlier in his career, the Vikings might have a steal. Johnson and especially Wootton will be nice additions to the defensive line rotation. Brinkley and Resiner are making their second appearances on the Vikings roster.
The Vikings didn't do a lot in free agency but they did what they had to do. They maintained some stability at quarterback. They kept some key starters. They added a couple of new starters in Linval Joseph and Captain Munnerlyn. They improved the team's depth. The most important part of the offseason is the NFL Draft. The Vikings have put themselves in a position where they aren't forced to concentrate on one position. The work done in free agency has given them options in the draft.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Freeman Finds A Home
One of the more bizarre happenings of the 2013 NFL season was the odyssey of quarterback Josh Freeman. He entered the season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback but that didn't last long. He was on the bench following a poor performance in a week 3 loss to the New England Patriots. Weeks 1 and 2 weren't that great either. He went to the bench with a completion percentage of 45.7 in three games. Trouble was brewing in Tampa for Freeman even before the season. He skipped the team photo and his own teammates didn't select him as a team captain for the first time since his 2009 rookie season. The two events might have been connected. Freeman's real trouble probably started when Greg Schiano was hired as the Buccaneers head coach in 2012. There was no way that the easygoing quarterback was going to be a favorite of the high-strung head coach. That poor recipe for success and Freeman's sad play through thrre games led to the benching. He was released a few weeks later on October 3, 2013 after the team tried unsuccessfully to trade him. On October 6, Freeman signed with the Minnesota Vikings. Then things got kinda weird. He would reportedly compete with incumbents Christian Ponder and Matt Cassel for the starting job. Neither Cassel nor Ponder had taken control of the Vikings starting quarterback position in the first month of the season. Freeman seemed like a promising addition. For some reason the Vikings named Freeman the starter for their week 7 game against the New York Giants after only a handful of practices in a new offense and with a new team. Not only was Freeman named the starter against the Giants he was named the Vikings starting quarterback for all future games. Against the Giants, on Monday Night Football, Josh Freeman played as though he was blindfolded. He had twenty completion in his 53 attempts. A stellar completion percentage of 37.7. That made his three game performance with Tampa look heroic. It wasn't like Freeman had several of his passes dropped or he just missed his targets. He wasn't even close. If he tried to look worse, on purpose, he couldn't look worse. It was one of the worst passing performances that most had ever seen. He would never again start for the Vikings. Still, I thought that Freeman was given a raw deal. He shouldn't have been hustled out so soon after signing. A handful of practices with a new team isn't even near enough. That doesn't completely explain his tragic inaccuracy that dreadful night but he was forced into a tough spot. He really had no role on the Vikings for the remainder of the season. I have no idea what the decision-makers of the team were thinking. It was inevitable that the Vikings would make a coaching change at the end of the season but the Freeman fiasco really sealed the Vikings coaching career of Leslie Frazier. That fiasco was disappointing. I've followed Josh Freeman's football career since his college days at Kansas St. I really liked him in the 2009 NFL Draft. Just behind Matthew Stafford. Certainly ahead of Mark Sanchez. I thought that he showed a lot of promise in his first three seasons with the Buccaneers. He really looked like an ascending young quarterback. He clearly didn't see football the same way as Schiano. That relationship seemed to be at the heart of his difficulties. I have no answers after his bizarre time in Minnesota.
Now, Josh Freeman has a new home. The New York Giants signed him to back up Eli Manning. This is probably the last team that I thought would sign Freeman. The Giants had an awesome view of the 53, mostly errant, passes thrown on that dreadful Monday night. I can imagine that they appreciated Freeman's passing then. I can't imagine that they would appreciate that sort of passing from one of their own. Maybe coming in as Manning's backup will take some pressure off of Freeman. The 2013 season might have been a real mess but Josh Freeman is a talented football player.
Now, Josh Freeman has a new home. The New York Giants signed him to back up Eli Manning. This is probably the last team that I thought would sign Freeman. The Giants had an awesome view of the 53, mostly errant, passes thrown on that dreadful Monday night. I can imagine that they appreciated Freeman's passing then. I can't imagine that they would appreciate that sort of passing from one of their own. Maybe coming in as Manning's backup will take some pressure off of Freeman. The 2013 season might have been a real mess but Josh Freeman is a talented football player.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Throwback Thursday: The 2007 NFL Draft
Best draft ever? There are several contenders. How about the 1957 NFL Draft? 9 of the players drafted in 1957 have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Paul Hornung, Len Dawson, Jim Brown, Jim Parker, Tommy McDonald, Sonny Jurgensen, Henry Jordan, Gene Hickerson, and Don Maynard. 11 of the 13 players drafted in the first round were elected to the Pro Bowl. The 1964 NFL Draft produced 10 future Hall of Fame players and one Hall of Fame coach. Bob Brown, Charley Taylor, Carl Eller, Paul Warfield, Mel Renfro, Paul Krause, Dave Wilcox, Bob Hayes, Leroy Kelly, Roger Staubach, and Bill Parcells. Those 11 Hall of Famers are the most to come from a single draft. The 1983 NFL Draft is best remembered for the six quarterbacks taken in the first round. Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino among those six. That draft wasn't just about the quarterbacks. 15 of the 28 players taken in the first round made it to the Pro Bowl. Eric Dickerson, Bruce Matthews, Darrell Green, and Richard Dent joined Elway, Kelly, and Marino in Canton. Curt Warner, Joey Browner, Chris Hinton, Roger Craig, Tim Krumrie, Jesse Sapolu, Karl Mecklenburg, and Anthony Carter looked like future Hall of Famers at times during their career. Some still could make it. Others might have made it if injuries hadn't shortened or ended their careers. The 1983 NFL Draft was loaded beyond those six quarterbacks. The 1989 NFL Draft will always be remembered for the top of it. Troy Aikman was selected #1. Barry Sanders #3. Derrick Thomas #4. Deion Sanders #5. The one that wasn't like the rest was Tony Mandarich at #2. Going into that draft those top five players were thought to be among the best at their position to ever enter the draft. There were other players that had nice NFL careers that came out in 1983. Trace Armstrong, Steve Atwater, Andre Rison, Steve Wisniewski, Darryl Johnston among them. Wisniewski probably deserves some serious Hall of Fame consideration. The 1989 NFL Draft still gets it's deserved attention because of the players at the top. Despite, the presence of Mandarich.
I'm kind of partial to the 2007 NFL Draft. I don't think that this draft gets the attention that it deserves. That may due to the fact that most of the players of note are still shining in their NFL careers. Drafts are best appreciated with more time than seven short years. The biggest problem with the 2007 NFL Draft is, and always will be, the #1 pick. JaMarcus Russell. The Oakland Raiders will always be a sad joke because of that pick. That's unfortunate. Perhaps as many as half of the teams in the league would have made the very same choice if given that first pick. The draft got better after JaMarcus Russell got out of the way. 14 of the 32 players taken in the first round have earned a trip to the Pro Bowl. Six players from that first round will have serious Hall of Fame support five years after they retire. Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch, and Darrelle Revis have played much of their seven seasons to a Hall of Fame standard. Thomas and Willis have yet to miss a Pro Bowl. Peterson would have done the same if not for the knee injury that put his 2011 season on the shelf. Quality players were found throughout the 2007 NFL Draft. LaRon Landry, Michael Griffen, Dwayne Bowe, Jon Beason, Anthony Spencer, Joe Staley, Ben Grubbs, Paul Posluszny, Eric Weddle, Zach Miller, LaMarr Woodley, Ryan Kalil, Jacoby Jones, Marshall Yanda, Paul Soliai, Dashon Goldson(if he can ever learn to tackle properly), and Brian Robison. There were a lot of teams that came out of the 2007 NFL Draft very happy. After several seasons, most teams, other than the Raiders, are probably still pretty happy with this draft.
I'm kind of partial to the 2007 NFL Draft. I don't think that this draft gets the attention that it deserves. That may due to the fact that most of the players of note are still shining in their NFL careers. Drafts are best appreciated with more time than seven short years. The biggest problem with the 2007 NFL Draft is, and always will be, the #1 pick. JaMarcus Russell. The Oakland Raiders will always be a sad joke because of that pick. That's unfortunate. Perhaps as many as half of the teams in the league would have made the very same choice if given that first pick. The draft got better after JaMarcus Russell got out of the way. 14 of the 32 players taken in the first round have earned a trip to the Pro Bowl. Six players from that first round will have serious Hall of Fame support five years after they retire. Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch, and Darrelle Revis have played much of their seven seasons to a Hall of Fame standard. Thomas and Willis have yet to miss a Pro Bowl. Peterson would have done the same if not for the knee injury that put his 2011 season on the shelf. Quality players were found throughout the 2007 NFL Draft. LaRon Landry, Michael Griffen, Dwayne Bowe, Jon Beason, Anthony Spencer, Joe Staley, Ben Grubbs, Paul Posluszny, Eric Weddle, Zach Miller, LaMarr Woodley, Ryan Kalil, Jacoby Jones, Marshall Yanda, Paul Soliai, Dashon Goldson(if he can ever learn to tackle properly), and Brian Robison. There were a lot of teams that came out of the 2007 NFL Draft very happy. After several seasons, most teams, other than the Raiders, are probably still pretty happy with this draft.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
No Mas
I'm not quite sure why there has been such an uproar over Jadeveon Clowney's decision to do no more private workouts. He's been visiting with teams and going through all of the NFL's hoops for the past couple of months. He was on display at the South Carolina Pro Day. He was at the Scouting Combine. He played three years of big time college football. If the 2014 NFL Draft goes as it should, only one team needs to take a look at Jadeveon Clowney. The Houston Texans have what should be the only shot at selecting the freakishly-talented defensive end.
NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that the ACL injury suffered by Clemson guard Brandon Thomas during a workout with the New Orleans Saints as the reason Clowney has called an end to his on-field workouts. Thomas' unfortunate injury may have given Clowney a convenient excuse but my guess is that his decision had nothing to do with it. Clowney has done enough to show that he's the most talented player in the draft. He doesn't need to do anything more on the field to prove that. One NFL executive told Rapoport that the decision wasn't a big deal. "No. He did everything at his Pro Day," said that executive. It's really the "talking-heads" in the media that think that Clowney's decision needs endless discussion. Some have questioned his work ethic ever since it was apparent that things came pretty easy on the football field. His work ethic seems to be the only question. There is no way to answer it until he steps onto an NFL field with his new NFL team. No pre-draft workout will answer it so it shouldn't be a surprise that Jadeveon Clowney has put an end to his. Good for him.
NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that the ACL injury suffered by Clemson guard Brandon Thomas during a workout with the New Orleans Saints as the reason Clowney has called an end to his on-field workouts. Thomas' unfortunate injury may have given Clowney a convenient excuse but my guess is that his decision had nothing to do with it. Clowney has done enough to show that he's the most talented player in the draft. He doesn't need to do anything more on the field to prove that. One NFL executive told Rapoport that the decision wasn't a big deal. "No. He did everything at his Pro Day," said that executive. It's really the "talking-heads" in the media that think that Clowney's decision needs endless discussion. Some have questioned his work ethic ever since it was apparent that things came pretty easy on the football field. His work ethic seems to be the only question. There is no way to answer it until he steps onto an NFL field with his new NFL team. No pre-draft workout will answer it so it shouldn't be a surprise that Jadeveon Clowney has put an end to his. Good for him.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Mocking Again
Just can't stop.
1. Houston Texans Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams Greg Robinson T Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
4. Cleveland Browns Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
5. Oakland Raiders Blake Bortles QB Central Florida
6. Atlanta Falcons Jake Matthews T Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
8. Minnesota Vikings Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
9. Buffalo Bills Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
10. Detroit Lions Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
11. Tennessee Titans Anthony Barr, LB UCLA
12. New York Giants Taylor Lewan T Michigan
13. St. Louis Rams Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S Alabama
14. Chicago Bears Timmy Jernigan DT Florida St.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers Darqueze Denard CB Michigan St.
16. Baltimore Ravens Zack Martin T Notre Dame
17. Dallas Cowboys Aaron Donald DT Pitt
18. New York Jets Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St.
19. Miami Dolphins C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
20. Arizona Cardinals Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
21. Green Bay Packers Calvin Pryor S Louisville
22. Philadelphia Eagles Odell Beckham Jr. WR LSU
23. Kansas City Chiefs Marqise Lee WR USC
24. Cincinnati Bengals Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
25. San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett CB TCU
26. Cleveland Browns Derek Carr QB Fresno St.
27. New Orleans Saints Dee Ford DE Auburn
28. Carolina Panthers Allen Robinson WR Penn St.
29. New England Patriots Stephon Tuitt DE Notre Dame
30. San Francisco 49ers Louis Nix DT Notre Dame
31. Denver Broncos Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St.
32. Seattle Seahawks Kelvin Benjamin WR Florida St.
The depth of this draft is remarkable. Aaron Donald is one of the best football players in this draft and I have a tough time finding a first round spot for him. The second round will probably have the talent of most first rounds. Despite having Teddy Bridgewater as my pick for the Vikings, I'm starting to get a strong feeling or hunch that Anthony Barr will be the actual pick. Bridgewater has emerged as my favorite among the quarterbacks that have long been considered at the top of the class. I feel that his understanding of passing offenses, defenses, and protections have separated him from the rest. His slight frame seems to be the only real knock against him. The reason for my hunch that the Vikings pass on a quarterback in the first round and select Barr is the quality of the quarterbacks available in the second round, or even later.
1. Houston Texans Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams Greg Robinson T Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
4. Cleveland Browns Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
5. Oakland Raiders Blake Bortles QB Central Florida
6. Atlanta Falcons Jake Matthews T Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
8. Minnesota Vikings Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
9. Buffalo Bills Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
10. Detroit Lions Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
11. Tennessee Titans Anthony Barr, LB UCLA
12. New York Giants Taylor Lewan T Michigan
13. St. Louis Rams Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S Alabama
14. Chicago Bears Timmy Jernigan DT Florida St.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers Darqueze Denard CB Michigan St.
16. Baltimore Ravens Zack Martin T Notre Dame
17. Dallas Cowboys Aaron Donald DT Pitt
18. New York Jets Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St.
19. Miami Dolphins C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
20. Arizona Cardinals Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
21. Green Bay Packers Calvin Pryor S Louisville
22. Philadelphia Eagles Odell Beckham Jr. WR LSU
23. Kansas City Chiefs Marqise Lee WR USC
24. Cincinnati Bengals Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
25. San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett CB TCU
26. Cleveland Browns Derek Carr QB Fresno St.
27. New Orleans Saints Dee Ford DE Auburn
28. Carolina Panthers Allen Robinson WR Penn St.
29. New England Patriots Stephon Tuitt DE Notre Dame
30. San Francisco 49ers Louis Nix DT Notre Dame
31. Denver Broncos Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St.
32. Seattle Seahawks Kelvin Benjamin WR Florida St.
The depth of this draft is remarkable. Aaron Donald is one of the best football players in this draft and I have a tough time finding a first round spot for him. The second round will probably have the talent of most first rounds. Despite having Teddy Bridgewater as my pick for the Vikings, I'm starting to get a strong feeling or hunch that Anthony Barr will be the actual pick. Bridgewater has emerged as my favorite among the quarterbacks that have long been considered at the top of the class. I feel that his understanding of passing offenses, defenses, and protections have separated him from the rest. His slight frame seems to be the only real knock against him. The reason for my hunch that the Vikings pass on a quarterback in the first round and select Barr is the quality of the quarterbacks available in the second round, or even later.
Monday, April 14, 2014
"Draft Day"
I'm a movie reviewer today. Well, not really but I did see Ivan Reitman's new movie about the NFL Draft, "Draft Day." So I figured that I'd say a few things about the movie. First of all, it would have been impossible to make this movie if the draft still kicked off on Saturdays. The prime time draft of the past few years gives us a draft day. And now, a movie.
"Draft Day" stars Kevin Costner as Cleveland Browns general manager Sonny Weaver Jr. Costner has spent the past couple of weeks on the talk show and podcast circuit pushing the movie. He's said several times that he would never have done the movie if the teams were fictitious. Smart move. Reitman did a fantastic job of creating a "real" draft. Atmosphere, teams, players, and all of the usual draft day characters. He got it all. Most importantly, he got it all correct. Reitman filmed his fictional 2014 NFL Draft at the real 2013 NFL Draft. I remember NFL Network's Rich Eisen talking about the movie at last year's draft. He spoke of reading lines and filming a scene with fictional Cleveland Browns owner Harvey Molina, played by Frank Langella. Eisen, Mike Mayock, Deion Sanders, Chris Berman, Mel Kiper were all in the film. They even got Daniel Jeremiah in a background shot. Roger "the Goods" Goodell was in the movie. All of the draft day characters were present. I would have guessed that accurately recreating the NFL Draft scene and atmosphere would have been impossible. Reitman succeeded. This movie would have failed miserably, in my eyes, if Reitman hadn't gotten the draft accurate. This is sacred ground. You don't monkey with the draft.
I highly recommend this movie. Fans of football, especially draftniks, will enjoy it. I think that the story-line has enough to appeal to non-football fans. Nice cast with Costner, Langella, Jennifer Garner, Dennis Leary, Ellen Burstyn, Chadwick Boseman, Sam Elliott, Terry Crews, Sean Combs, and Rosanna Arquette. Houston Texans running back Arian Foster made his acting debut as Florida State running back Ray Jennings. Michael Cera was outstanding as a Browns intern. Agent David Dunn played an agent. Cleveland Browns, and former Cal, center Alex Mack briefly played himself. Jim Brown and Bernie Kosar played the Browns legends that they are. I also liked that the Seattle Seahawks sorta, kinda played the bad guys. Fitting. One of the trades is a little far-fetched. I'll give Reitman a break on that one simply for dramatic reasons. Overall, I'd say that he nailed the draft. Flea Flicker says, check it out.
"Draft Day" stars Kevin Costner as Cleveland Browns general manager Sonny Weaver Jr. Costner has spent the past couple of weeks on the talk show and podcast circuit pushing the movie. He's said several times that he would never have done the movie if the teams were fictitious. Smart move. Reitman did a fantastic job of creating a "real" draft. Atmosphere, teams, players, and all of the usual draft day characters. He got it all. Most importantly, he got it all correct. Reitman filmed his fictional 2014 NFL Draft at the real 2013 NFL Draft. I remember NFL Network's Rich Eisen talking about the movie at last year's draft. He spoke of reading lines and filming a scene with fictional Cleveland Browns owner Harvey Molina, played by Frank Langella. Eisen, Mike Mayock, Deion Sanders, Chris Berman, Mel Kiper were all in the film. They even got Daniel Jeremiah in a background shot. Roger "the Goods" Goodell was in the movie. All of the draft day characters were present. I would have guessed that accurately recreating the NFL Draft scene and atmosphere would have been impossible. Reitman succeeded. This movie would have failed miserably, in my eyes, if Reitman hadn't gotten the draft accurate. This is sacred ground. You don't monkey with the draft.
I highly recommend this movie. Fans of football, especially draftniks, will enjoy it. I think that the story-line has enough to appeal to non-football fans. Nice cast with Costner, Langella, Jennifer Garner, Dennis Leary, Ellen Burstyn, Chadwick Boseman, Sam Elliott, Terry Crews, Sean Combs, and Rosanna Arquette. Houston Texans running back Arian Foster made his acting debut as Florida State running back Ray Jennings. Michael Cera was outstanding as a Browns intern. Agent David Dunn played an agent. Cleveland Browns, and former Cal, center Alex Mack briefly played himself. Jim Brown and Bernie Kosar played the Browns legends that they are. I also liked that the Seattle Seahawks sorta, kinda played the bad guys. Fitting. One of the trades is a little far-fetched. I'll give Reitman a break on that one simply for dramatic reasons. Overall, I'd say that he nailed the draft. Flea Flicker says, check it out.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Misinformation
There should be some kind of media blackout on draft information between, say, the Senior Bowl and the NFL Draft. The general managers and coaches of the teams that will actually be selecting the players are the only people that know anything. They aren't saying anything. They shouldn't say anything. The people that say the most know the least. The talking heads in the media. Where are they getting their information? The most recent hooey comes from Chris Mortensen of ESPN. He reported that Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been shaky in his private workouts with teams. This is especially troubling due to his reportedly less than excellent Pro Day. The last time that I had read anything written by Mortensen was in 2001 so I had kind of lost touch with him. He used to write things longer than the average tweet. There's something funny about reporting that Bridgewater's private workouts have all gone shaky. They're private. I don't think that Morternsen is invited to these workouts so it seems pretty remarkable that he'd have accurate inside information to all of them. Especially since you can't trust anything that any of these teams say. Bridgerwater's agent, Kennard McGuire, responded to Mortensen's "breaking" news by mentioning that his client has had only one private workout. Bridgewater has visited with multiple teams but has had a singular private workout. According to his agent, this singular workout was described as "simply amazing and sharp." That stellar description of the workout should cancel out the "shaky" workouts reported by Mortensen. Why? Because you can't believe anything that these teams say.
The further that we get from the last time that these draft prospects were actually playing football the more we forget about how they actually play the game. Getting to know these kids, actually talking to them, getting to better know their medical history helps the 32 NFL teams. Beyond that, all of the crap that follows their last football game is way, way overrated. It's for the media to send the rest of us scampering to redo our mocks. I like Teddy Bridgewater. He was terrific at Louisville. That matters more to me than his Pro Day or decision not to throw at the Combine. Some have questioned his slight build. Some had that same question about Aaron Rodgers in 2005. Bridgewater was considered a potential #1 pick of the entire draft only weeks ago. Now, he might tumble out of the first round. What's changed? We've gotten too far away from his last meaningful pass. In that time away from meaningful football too many people like Mortensen, with their creepy little sources, have muddied the water. No team is talking. No team is saying anything truthful if they are talking. We can't believe any of it but we usually do as it's fed to us.
Adding two extra weeks to the draft evaluation process was an idiotic move.
The further that we get from the last time that these draft prospects were actually playing football the more we forget about how they actually play the game. Getting to know these kids, actually talking to them, getting to better know their medical history helps the 32 NFL teams. Beyond that, all of the crap that follows their last football game is way, way overrated. It's for the media to send the rest of us scampering to redo our mocks. I like Teddy Bridgewater. He was terrific at Louisville. That matters more to me than his Pro Day or decision not to throw at the Combine. Some have questioned his slight build. Some had that same question about Aaron Rodgers in 2005. Bridgewater was considered a potential #1 pick of the entire draft only weeks ago. Now, he might tumble out of the first round. What's changed? We've gotten too far away from his last meaningful pass. In that time away from meaningful football too many people like Mortensen, with their creepy little sources, have muddied the water. No team is talking. No team is saying anything truthful if they are talking. We can't believe any of it but we usually do as it's fed to us.
Adding two extra weeks to the draft evaluation process was an idiotic move.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Puzzling Draft
Most years, by the time that we are a month out from the NFL Draft, I've narrowed down my hopes for the Minnesota Vikings' first selection to one, maybe two players. My hopes have occasionally become reality. Chris Hovan in 2000. Bryant McKinnie in 2002. Troy Williamson in 2005. Chad Greenway in 2006. Tyrell Johnson in 2008. Percy Harvin in 2009. Matt Kalil and Harrison Smith in 2012. Xavier Rhodes in 2013. I wish that I was wrong in 2005 and 2008. If I don't set my hopes on the right player, I usually have the right position. In 2001, I was hoping for Deuce McCalister and the Vikings selected Michael Bennett. In 2004, I was hoping for Will Smith and the Vikings selected Kenechi Udeze. In both instances, the New Orleans selected MY player one spot before the Vikings were on the clock. In 2003, it was the New York Jets that selected MY player before the Vikings had a shot at him. The Jets picked Dewayne Robertson and the Vikings picked Kevin Williams. I'm so glad that it fell that way. In 2010, The Vikings selected Chris Cook at the top of the second round. My hope was Kyle Wilson. Again, it was the Jets that got to MY player first. Wilson was picked at the bottom of the first round. In 2011, I was hoping, really hoping, for Jake Locker. The Vikings got Christian Ponder. Since 2000, I was way off with the pick only in 2007. I had my sites set on LaRon Landry. Who knew that Adrian Peterson would still be available at #7? Something like that happening can change a lot of draft plans. I had hopes, dreams, for Peterson or Calvin Johnson but the possibility of either one still being on the board for the Vikings was simply impossible.
I don't have a clue as to what I'd like to see the Vikings do for the 2014 NFL Draft. This draft is an absolute puzzle to me. We still have a month but I have so many possibilities, possibilities that change daily, passing through my head. It keeps me awake some nights. This next month can't pass fast enough. If there was a perfect year to move the draft back two weeks, this isn't it. I actually do hope that the Vikings can draft Buffalo linebacker Kahlil Mack. That would be Hope #1. Adrian Peterson in 2007 and Randy Moss in 1998 being available for the Vikings are the biggest draft surprises of my lifetime. Mack falling to #8 would match those two draft day miracles. In January, I thought that Mack could be there. Now, I don't think that he makes it to #5. So, I've tearfully removed Kahlil Mack from my hope list.
The biggest needs for the Minnesota Vikings are finding a franchise quarterback and improving the defense. The re-signing of Matt Cassel eases the need to draft a quarterback that has to start this year. That's a good thing. Despite the chaotic season that the Vikings had at quarterback last year, it was the defense that really torpedoed the season. They couldn't get offenses off of the field on third down. They couldn't keep offenses out of the end zone. That's very bad defensive football. The Vikings made some defensive strides simply by hiring Mike Zimmer as their new head coach. They made further strides in free agency with the re-signing of defensive end Everson Griffen and the signing of defensive tackle Linval Joseph, corner Captain Munnerlyn, and defensive end Corey Wootton. There's still plenty of room for more help from the draft. The draft is all about finding the best value with each pick. Since there are no heart-stopping quarterback talents, like Andrew Luck, at the top of this draft, most feel that the best value at quarterback is found beyond the first round. That thought could make one or two of the supposed top three quarterbacks (Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, or Johnny Manziel) available when the Vikings pick at #8. With today's passing game, quarterback often trumps other needs in the draft. Quarterback can even trump value. Depending on the day, any of at least a half dozen scenarios top my hope list for the Vikings 2014 NFL Draft. When I'm feeling really daring I imagine that Mack is available but I'll leave that out for now. Here are a few of my more realistic hopes:
1. Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Aaron Murray QB Georgia
1. Anthony Barr LB UCLA
2. Zach Mettenberger QB LSU
1. C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
2. Jimmy Garoppolo QB E. Illinois
1. Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Deone Bucannon S Washington St.
1. Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Phillip Gaines CB Rice
1. Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
2. Jimmie Ward S N. Illinois
3a. Christian Kirksey LB Iowa
3b. Aaron Murray QB Georgia
1. Aaron Donald DT Pitt
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Aaron Murray QB Georgia
There are so many more. I wouldn't mind seeing Ohio St. linebacker Ryan Shazier in the mix somewhere. Basically, I can't decide when is the best time for the Vikings to attack the quarterback issue. If Bortles, Bridgewater, and/or Manziel is/are still on the board when the Vikings are on the clock at #8, quarterback has to be a consideration. Getting the right quarterback is the best way to keep from picking at the top of the draft every year. It's just that the defensive players at the top of this draft are so tempting. Adding to that is the talent at quarterback expected to be available in the second round, or later. Aaron Murray, Zach Mettenberger, Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr, and AJ McCarron probably would have been more highly rated than any quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft outside of Cam Newton. Jake Locker, Blaine Babbert, and Christian Ponder were taken in the first twelve picks of that draft. This draft is remarkably talented and deep. For the past couple of weeks, I've had this feeling, a hunch, that the Vikings are going to pick UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr. He's only played the position for two years so he's still very raw. He has the natural athleticism to put him with the elite defensive players of this draft (Jadeveon Clowney and Kahlil Mack) but he's still such an unknown. That position inexperience has firmly placed him in the boom-or-bust category. Some teams and draft "experts" love him. Others question him. I've seen him make too many plays that very few football players can make. Plays that aren't just about explosion and athleticism but also about awareness. Barr is more than a great athlete. Anyway, it's all just a hunch.
This draft is a puzzle. A real puzzle.
I don't have a clue as to what I'd like to see the Vikings do for the 2014 NFL Draft. This draft is an absolute puzzle to me. We still have a month but I have so many possibilities, possibilities that change daily, passing through my head. It keeps me awake some nights. This next month can't pass fast enough. If there was a perfect year to move the draft back two weeks, this isn't it. I actually do hope that the Vikings can draft Buffalo linebacker Kahlil Mack. That would be Hope #1. Adrian Peterson in 2007 and Randy Moss in 1998 being available for the Vikings are the biggest draft surprises of my lifetime. Mack falling to #8 would match those two draft day miracles. In January, I thought that Mack could be there. Now, I don't think that he makes it to #5. So, I've tearfully removed Kahlil Mack from my hope list.
The biggest needs for the Minnesota Vikings are finding a franchise quarterback and improving the defense. The re-signing of Matt Cassel eases the need to draft a quarterback that has to start this year. That's a good thing. Despite the chaotic season that the Vikings had at quarterback last year, it was the defense that really torpedoed the season. They couldn't get offenses off of the field on third down. They couldn't keep offenses out of the end zone. That's very bad defensive football. The Vikings made some defensive strides simply by hiring Mike Zimmer as their new head coach. They made further strides in free agency with the re-signing of defensive end Everson Griffen and the signing of defensive tackle Linval Joseph, corner Captain Munnerlyn, and defensive end Corey Wootton. There's still plenty of room for more help from the draft. The draft is all about finding the best value with each pick. Since there are no heart-stopping quarterback talents, like Andrew Luck, at the top of this draft, most feel that the best value at quarterback is found beyond the first round. That thought could make one or two of the supposed top three quarterbacks (Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, or Johnny Manziel) available when the Vikings pick at #8. With today's passing game, quarterback often trumps other needs in the draft. Quarterback can even trump value. Depending on the day, any of at least a half dozen scenarios top my hope list for the Vikings 2014 NFL Draft. When I'm feeling really daring I imagine that Mack is available but I'll leave that out for now. Here are a few of my more realistic hopes:
1. Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Aaron Murray QB Georgia
1. Anthony Barr LB UCLA
2. Zach Mettenberger QB LSU
1. C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
2. Jimmy Garoppolo QB E. Illinois
1. Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Deone Bucannon S Washington St.
1. Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Phillip Gaines CB Rice
1. Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
2. Jimmie Ward S N. Illinois
3a. Christian Kirksey LB Iowa
3b. Aaron Murray QB Georgia
1. Aaron Donald DT Pitt
2. Kyle Van Noy LB BYU
3. Aaron Murray QB Georgia
There are so many more. I wouldn't mind seeing Ohio St. linebacker Ryan Shazier in the mix somewhere. Basically, I can't decide when is the best time for the Vikings to attack the quarterback issue. If Bortles, Bridgewater, and/or Manziel is/are still on the board when the Vikings are on the clock at #8, quarterback has to be a consideration. Getting the right quarterback is the best way to keep from picking at the top of the draft every year. It's just that the defensive players at the top of this draft are so tempting. Adding to that is the talent at quarterback expected to be available in the second round, or later. Aaron Murray, Zach Mettenberger, Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr, and AJ McCarron probably would have been more highly rated than any quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft outside of Cam Newton. Jake Locker, Blaine Babbert, and Christian Ponder were taken in the first twelve picks of that draft. This draft is remarkably talented and deep. For the past couple of weeks, I've had this feeling, a hunch, that the Vikings are going to pick UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr. He's only played the position for two years so he's still very raw. He has the natural athleticism to put him with the elite defensive players of this draft (Jadeveon Clowney and Kahlil Mack) but he's still such an unknown. That position inexperience has firmly placed him in the boom-or-bust category. Some teams and draft "experts" love him. Others question him. I've seen him make too many plays that very few football players can make. Plays that aren't just about explosion and athleticism but also about awareness. Barr is more than a great athlete. Anyway, it's all just a hunch.
This draft is a puzzle. A real puzzle.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Preseason Schedule
You know that the NFL is a monster when there is a press release, and some anticipation, announcing the 65-game Preseason Schedule. The Preseason Schedule! It was announced at 12:15 PST on Wednesday. The 2014 NFL Preseason will kickoff on Sunday, August 3 in Canton, when the Buffalo Bills face the New York Giants in the Hall of Fame game. Eight of the 65 games will be televised nationally, including the Hall of Fame game.
The four-game preseason will be in peril every year as Commissioner Roger Goodell chases his dream of an 18-game regular season. For some reason the commish equates two regular season games with two preseason games. He thinks that everything comes up even when two games that don't count are dropped for two extra games that do count. Astonishing. It's the players that actually play the games that are doing this math correctly.
Every year for the past decade, the Minnesota Vikings have played a four-game preseason schedule that has included the Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and some random fourth team. Actually, that's only happened the last two years. It just feels like a decade. This year, the NFL has thrown some variety into the preseason schedule. The Vikings were rewarded with this:
Week 1 vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 2 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 3 at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 4 at Tennessee Titans
Week 1 is the weekend of August 7-10.
That's some exciting stuff. The real exciting stuff will come when the NFL releases the regular season schedule. That should get more attention than this preseason stuff.
The four-game preseason will be in peril every year as Commissioner Roger Goodell chases his dream of an 18-game regular season. For some reason the commish equates two regular season games with two preseason games. He thinks that everything comes up even when two games that don't count are dropped for two extra games that do count. Astonishing. It's the players that actually play the games that are doing this math correctly.
Every year for the past decade, the Minnesota Vikings have played a four-game preseason schedule that has included the Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and some random fourth team. Actually, that's only happened the last two years. It just feels like a decade. This year, the NFL has thrown some variety into the preseason schedule. The Vikings were rewarded with this:
Week 1 vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 2 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 3 at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 4 at Tennessee Titans
Week 1 is the weekend of August 7-10.
That's some exciting stuff. The real exciting stuff will come when the NFL releases the regular season schedule. That should get more attention than this preseason stuff.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Throwback Thursday: Mean Joe, a Kid, and a Coke
One of the best and most loved commercials ever seen on television involved the imposing Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene, a nine-year old boy, and a refreshing bottle of Coke. For some reason, I always assumed that this commercial was released during the Super Bowl. Since it was released in the 1970s, there was a 40 percent chance that it was released during a Super Bowl that included the Pittsburgh Steelers. For nearly forty years, I assumed wrong. The commercial aired for the first time during the baseball playoffs in October of 1979. The Steelers did win the Super Bowl that season.
Never having acted before, Greene expected filming to take only half a day. It lasted three full days. Because of lighting problems and novice actors in a nine-year old boy and a professional football player, the commercial required 128 takes. For each take, Greene downed a bottle of Coke. More than twenty bottles in a single day. Because Greene's hands were unusually large, bigger bottles were specially made for the commercial. That's a lot of Coke. The bloated Greene punctuated several takes with belches. Much to the enjoyment of his young costar who laughed and said, "You fumbled!" It may have taken a while but they sure got it right in the end.
A lot has fortunately changed since 1979. The pairing of of a small white boy and a large black man was unusual for the time. Initially, Coca-Cola suggested using Terry Bradshaw as the football player. Nothing against Bradshaw, he's shown for decades that he's comfortable in front of a camera but the commercial was perfect with the presence of Mean Joe Greene. The contrast between the black defensive lineman and the small white boy was perfect. The commercial won a Clio award, advertising's Oscar, and Greene won a Clio for best actor. It also took some of the meanness away from Mean Joe Greene.
Never having acted before, Greene expected filming to take only half a day. It lasted three full days. Because of lighting problems and novice actors in a nine-year old boy and a professional football player, the commercial required 128 takes. For each take, Greene downed a bottle of Coke. More than twenty bottles in a single day. Because Greene's hands were unusually large, bigger bottles were specially made for the commercial. That's a lot of Coke. The bloated Greene punctuated several takes with belches. Much to the enjoyment of his young costar who laughed and said, "You fumbled!" It may have taken a while but they sure got it right in the end.
A lot has fortunately changed since 1979. The pairing of of a small white boy and a large black man was unusual for the time. Initially, Coca-Cola suggested using Terry Bradshaw as the football player. Nothing against Bradshaw, he's shown for decades that he's comfortable in front of a camera but the commercial was perfect with the presence of Mean Joe Greene. The contrast between the black defensive lineman and the small white boy was perfect. The commercial won a Clio award, advertising's Oscar, and Greene won a Clio for best actor. It also took some of the meanness away from Mean Joe Greene.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Transition-taggin'
There was mild surprise when the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers used the transition tag to restrict the free agency movement of center Alex Mack and Jason Worilds, respectively. The transition tag hadn't been used since 2006. That's when the Minnesota Vikings poked holes in the process and introduced the term "poison pill" to the NFL contract language. The Vikings used a "poison pill" clause to wrestle transition-tagged guard Steve Hutchinson from the Seattle Seahawks. This clause made Hutchinson's entire $49 million contract guaranteed if the Seahawks matched the Vikings offer. That "pill" was too expensive for the Seahawks. The NFL wasn't too happy with the Vikings. The Seahawks were furious. The funny thing about those bad feelings was that Vikings salary cap guru Rob Brzezinski had warned the NFL of the possibilities of the potential for a "poison pill" well before he took advantage of one. Maybe they should have listened. "Poison pills" have since been banned. Despite that ban, no team has used the transition tag since Seattle tagged Hutchinson until this offseason.
Jason Worilds has signed his transition tag tender so he's with the Pittsburgh Steelers for, at least, another season. Mack is still a free agent with that transition tag leash. Mack recently visited with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since the tagging season, it's been speculated that the Browns used the transition tag so that other teams could set the market for Mack. The Browns are in a fairly safe spot to do this as they have more than enough cap room to match nearly any offer made by another team. Besides, the Browns are already on the hook for the $10 million price tag called for by the transition tag, That's a pretty steep price for any center so they have already announced that they will match a steep offer. The Oakland Raiders, with their immense salary cap room, are probably the one team that might throw the Browns a scare.
Transition tags do little but kick-start negotiations between a player and the team holding the tag. If a team is ok enough with losing a player that they won't use the more restrictive franchise tag, why tag the player at all? They don't need the relative freedom of the transition tag to set the market for a player. They should already know the market. They certainly should know how much they are willing to spend. Transition tags should just go away. Many thought that they had after the Vikings had revealed some of the early flaws. All of the tags were meant to restrict some player movement despite the freedom of free agency. The franchise tag, with it's two first round pick compensation, still accomplishes that. The transition tag, with no compensation, doesn't really accomplish much of anything. Most teams now have enough of a handle on free agency that they don't really need transition tags anymore to retain players that they really want to keep. They certainly shouldn't need the relative freedom of the transition tag process as a starting point for negotiations with a player.
Jason Worilds has signed his transition tag tender so he's with the Pittsburgh Steelers for, at least, another season. Mack is still a free agent with that transition tag leash. Mack recently visited with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since the tagging season, it's been speculated that the Browns used the transition tag so that other teams could set the market for Mack. The Browns are in a fairly safe spot to do this as they have more than enough cap room to match nearly any offer made by another team. Besides, the Browns are already on the hook for the $10 million price tag called for by the transition tag, That's a pretty steep price for any center so they have already announced that they will match a steep offer. The Oakland Raiders, with their immense salary cap room, are probably the one team that might throw the Browns a scare.
Transition tags do little but kick-start negotiations between a player and the team holding the tag. If a team is ok enough with losing a player that they won't use the more restrictive franchise tag, why tag the player at all? They don't need the relative freedom of the transition tag to set the market for a player. They should already know the market. They certainly should know how much they are willing to spend. Transition tags should just go away. Many thought that they had after the Vikings had revealed some of the early flaws. All of the tags were meant to restrict some player movement despite the freedom of free agency. The franchise tag, with it's two first round pick compensation, still accomplishes that. The transition tag, with no compensation, doesn't really accomplish much of anything. Most teams now have enough of a handle on free agency that they don't really need transition tags anymore to retain players that they really want to keep. They certainly shouldn't need the relative freedom of the transition tag process as a starting point for negotiations with a player.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
New Giants
The New York Giants have been the most active team in this year's NFL Free Agency market. They have added more new players than even the Oakland Raiders. The Giants have added 13 free agents. All 13 of the new players have been starters or significant contributors in the league. They will be counted on to do the same for a Giants team that disappointed last season. This is a team that is only a couple of seasons removed from a Super Bowl title.
Here are the new faces on the New York Giants:
DE Robert Ayers
CB Zack Bowman
T Charles Brown
FS Quentin Demps
WR Trindon Holliday
RB Rashad Jennings
G John Jerry
WR Mario Manningham
LB Jameel McClain
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
G Geoff Schwartz
CB Walter Thurmond
C J.D. Walton
Of the 13 new players, seven figure to be starters or key contributors-cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond, offensive linemen Geoff Schawrtz and J.D. Walton, linebacker Jameel McClain, running back Rashad Jennings, and returner Trindon Holliday. The Giants will have new corners and a rebuilt offensive line next season. Good thing as both areas were a mess last year. Rodgers-Cromartie and Thurmond could be a real nice tandem. The Giants line had been solid for a long time. That time was coming to an end. Schwartz has been on the verge of becoming an impact lineman for a few seasons now. He just needs a chance. The Giants were wise to give him that chance. Schwartz and Walton are solid additions to get the line back to solid. John Jerry and Charles Brown have starting experience and should help solidify the line by providing depth, if not starting.
I think what I like best about the Giants moves in free agency is that they added quality football players. They certainly added quantity but it wasn't like the crazy signings that the Philadelphia Eagles threw together in 2011. The Eagles seemed to be adding every big-name player that they could get in their building without any regard to how those players fit together or the scheme that they played (Asomugha!). The Giants went after good football players at reasonable salaries. Rodgers-Cromartie was the only splashy signing. Most were like the Schwartz signing. Which is one of my favorite signings. They also signed fairly young players. All of the thirteen have 4-6 seasons of NFL experience. The free agents that make the most impact on their new team often come from the solid, young football player category. Nice work Giants.
Another New York Giant newcomer that I think will do well is new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. He replaces the retired Kevin Gilbride. McAdoo was the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers. Coaching Aaron Rodgers might not be the most difficult assignment in football but there's something about McAdoo that makes me think that he will do well with an offense of his own.
Here are the new faces on the New York Giants:
DE Robert Ayers
CB Zack Bowman
T Charles Brown
FS Quentin Demps
WR Trindon Holliday
RB Rashad Jennings
G John Jerry
WR Mario Manningham
LB Jameel McClain
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
G Geoff Schwartz
CB Walter Thurmond
C J.D. Walton
Of the 13 new players, seven figure to be starters or key contributors-cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond, offensive linemen Geoff Schawrtz and J.D. Walton, linebacker Jameel McClain, running back Rashad Jennings, and returner Trindon Holliday. The Giants will have new corners and a rebuilt offensive line next season. Good thing as both areas were a mess last year. Rodgers-Cromartie and Thurmond could be a real nice tandem. The Giants line had been solid for a long time. That time was coming to an end. Schwartz has been on the verge of becoming an impact lineman for a few seasons now. He just needs a chance. The Giants were wise to give him that chance. Schwartz and Walton are solid additions to get the line back to solid. John Jerry and Charles Brown have starting experience and should help solidify the line by providing depth, if not starting.
I think what I like best about the Giants moves in free agency is that they added quality football players. They certainly added quantity but it wasn't like the crazy signings that the Philadelphia Eagles threw together in 2011. The Eagles seemed to be adding every big-name player that they could get in their building without any regard to how those players fit together or the scheme that they played (Asomugha!). The Giants went after good football players at reasonable salaries. Rodgers-Cromartie was the only splashy signing. Most were like the Schwartz signing. Which is one of my favorite signings. They also signed fairly young players. All of the thirteen have 4-6 seasons of NFL experience. The free agents that make the most impact on their new team often come from the solid, young football player category. Nice work Giants.
Another New York Giant newcomer that I think will do well is new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. He replaces the retired Kevin Gilbride. McAdoo was the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers. Coaching Aaron Rodgers might not be the most difficult assignment in football but there's something about McAdoo that makes me think that he will do well with an offense of his own.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Turner's Quarterbacks
There has been some speculation that the Minnesota Vikings are interested in LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Maybe. Maybe not. With the Vikings need at the position, every quarterback can be linked to the team. You can't really believe anything that is said as we creep closer to the NFL Draft. Mettneberger is often mentioned in Vikings draft rumors because he fits the type of quarterback that many have pegged as a preference of new offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Strong-armed, pocket passer. Turner has been saddled with this preference because of his time spent and work done with Troy Aikman and Philip Rivers. What coach wouldn't have a fondness for effective, accurate throwers like Aikman and Rivers. I think that people tend to forget that Turner inherited both quarterbacks. I think that it's a mistake to pigeonhole Turner as having a preference for a singular type of quarterback. He's experienced enough and open-minded enough to accept and work with a variety of quarterback types. He's worked with too many quarterbacks to single out one as his.
Through his coaching career, Norv Turner has worked with Troy Aikman, Heath Shuler, Gus Frerotte, Trent Green, Brad Johnson, Doug Flutie, Drew Brees, Jay Fiedler, Rich Gannon, Kerry Collins, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, Brian Hoyer, Brandon Weeden, and Jason Campbell. That's quite a mix. Of those quarterbacks, only Trent Green, Brad Johnson, Drew Brees, Jason Campbell, and Brian Hoyer were added on Turner's watch. Those were the only quarterbacks that might have been of his choosing. I find it interesting that after film review and workouts with San Jose St. quarterback David Fales, Turner said that the young thrower is a Trent Green clone.
The coaching combination of Mike Zimmer and Norv Turner has about all of the Vikings fan base very excited. Outside of one beautiful season from Brett Favre, the play at quarterback has been horrid in Minnesota. There's hope now with Turner at the helm. There's a faith, not seen in a long time, that Turner will select the right quarterback and effectively coach that quarterback. Maybe he can even revive the career of Christian Ponder. I don't think that the fan base has that kind of faith.
Norv Turner has worked with so many different quarterbacks that it's a disservice to his experience and coaching to narrow his preference for the position. I think that nearly all of the quarterbacks in the draft could be in play. Zach Mettenberger could be the one. David Fales too. Aaron Murray? Certainly. Tom Savage. Even that squirrelly kid from Texas A&M. Turner can can get positive results from a variety of quarterbacks.
Through his coaching career, Norv Turner has worked with Troy Aikman, Heath Shuler, Gus Frerotte, Trent Green, Brad Johnson, Doug Flutie, Drew Brees, Jay Fiedler, Rich Gannon, Kerry Collins, Philip Rivers, Alex Smith, Brian Hoyer, Brandon Weeden, and Jason Campbell. That's quite a mix. Of those quarterbacks, only Trent Green, Brad Johnson, Drew Brees, Jason Campbell, and Brian Hoyer were added on Turner's watch. Those were the only quarterbacks that might have been of his choosing. I find it interesting that after film review and workouts with San Jose St. quarterback David Fales, Turner said that the young thrower is a Trent Green clone.
The coaching combination of Mike Zimmer and Norv Turner has about all of the Vikings fan base very excited. Outside of one beautiful season from Brett Favre, the play at quarterback has been horrid in Minnesota. There's hope now with Turner at the helm. There's a faith, not seen in a long time, that Turner will select the right quarterback and effectively coach that quarterback. Maybe he can even revive the career of Christian Ponder. I don't think that the fan base has that kind of faith.
Norv Turner has worked with so many different quarterbacks that it's a disservice to his experience and coaching to narrow his preference for the position. I think that nearly all of the quarterbacks in the draft could be in play. Zach Mettenberger could be the one. David Fales too. Aaron Murray? Certainly. Tom Savage. Even that squirrelly kid from Texas A&M. Turner can can get positive results from a variety of quarterbacks.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Perspective
I've heard on a couple of occasions, most recently by NFL Network's Bucky Brooks, that defensive-minded head coaches might be more inclined to draft, or at least favor, a quarterback like Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. Offensive-minded head coaches likely prefer a more traditional, pocket-passing quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater. Brooks went on to say that the defensive-minded coach would lean toward the unpredictable, dual threat quarterback because he knows how difficult it is to prepare for that sort of offensive threat. Hell, he may even draft that quarterback simply to avoid ever having to prepare for him. For an offensive-minded head coach, it's more about the system. He wants a quarterback that fits his system. I hadn't really considered this aspect of a coach's perspective when it comes to quarterback preferences. By this thinking, new Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer might put Manziel at the top of this draft's quarterback list.
I can accept the idea that defensive coaches can better understand the headaches caused by gifted, athletic quarterbacks. I don't think that Peyton Manning keeps opposing coaches up at night. He's very predictable. You pretty much know that nearly all of his throws are going to come from the pocket. Stopping him is a whole other story but there really is no suspense as to what he's going to try and do. You don't have to make much of an effort to keep him in the pocket since he's quite content to stay right there. Colin Kaepernick, a healthy Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and perhaps, in a couple of years, Johnny Manziel will keep defensive coaches up late, sweating for solutions. They have to contend with so much because these quarterbacks can do so much.
I don't really think that this thinking holds true so much for all offensive coaches. No doubt there are some coaches so set in their ways that they have to have that quarterback that perfectly fits their in-the-pocket-down-the-field passing system. I just think that there are more and more coaches, offensive coaches, that are looking for mismatches. Football is all about mismatches. Finding them and taking advantage of them. Unpredictable quarterbacks create mismatches. They can extend plays. They can expand the playbook. So, these dual threat quarterbacks aren't appealing only to defensive coaches.
Being able to move the ball through the air is still the #1 skill that every NFL quarterback must possess. Slow, immobile quarterbacks can still find a home in the league as long as they can put the ball where they are supposed to and score touchdowns often. I think that this idea of a coach's perspective when it comes to quarterback preference is an interesting one. It's certainly not a rule written in stone. Just two years ago, Chuck Pagano, the defensive-minded head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, drafted Andrew Luck over the versatile and dangerous Robert Griffin III. Luck is a terrific athlete. He can hurt a defense with his feet but he's still considered more of a traditional, pocket passer. I think that the perspective of a coach comes into play when their team is deciding between two, differing quarterbacks rated about the same. The decision, then, will, of course, come down to their preference. For the defensive-minded coach, the quarterback that keeps them up at night. For the offensive-minded coach, the quarterback that best fits the passing system in place. Makes sense.
I can accept the idea that defensive coaches can better understand the headaches caused by gifted, athletic quarterbacks. I don't think that Peyton Manning keeps opposing coaches up at night. He's very predictable. You pretty much know that nearly all of his throws are going to come from the pocket. Stopping him is a whole other story but there really is no suspense as to what he's going to try and do. You don't have to make much of an effort to keep him in the pocket since he's quite content to stay right there. Colin Kaepernick, a healthy Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and perhaps, in a couple of years, Johnny Manziel will keep defensive coaches up late, sweating for solutions. They have to contend with so much because these quarterbacks can do so much.
I don't really think that this thinking holds true so much for all offensive coaches. No doubt there are some coaches so set in their ways that they have to have that quarterback that perfectly fits their in-the-pocket-down-the-field passing system. I just think that there are more and more coaches, offensive coaches, that are looking for mismatches. Football is all about mismatches. Finding them and taking advantage of them. Unpredictable quarterbacks create mismatches. They can extend plays. They can expand the playbook. So, these dual threat quarterbacks aren't appealing only to defensive coaches.
Being able to move the ball through the air is still the #1 skill that every NFL quarterback must possess. Slow, immobile quarterbacks can still find a home in the league as long as they can put the ball where they are supposed to and score touchdowns often. I think that this idea of a coach's perspective when it comes to quarterback preference is an interesting one. It's certainly not a rule written in stone. Just two years ago, Chuck Pagano, the defensive-minded head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, drafted Andrew Luck over the versatile and dangerous Robert Griffin III. Luck is a terrific athlete. He can hurt a defense with his feet but he's still considered more of a traditional, pocket passer. I think that the perspective of a coach comes into play when their team is deciding between two, differing quarterbacks rated about the same. The decision, then, will, of course, come down to their preference. For the defensive-minded coach, the quarterback that keeps them up at night. For the offensive-minded coach, the quarterback that best fits the passing system in place. Makes sense.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Remaining Pro Days
There were over 150 Pro Days in March. The Johnny Manziel Pro Day in College Station was the most attended, unique and not to be duplicated. Even McGill University had a Pro Day. Nine teams traveled to Canada to check out offensive lineman, and doctor-to-be, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. He wasn't invited to the Scouting Combine but his workout numbers were as good as any lineman that was invited. Every weekday in March had at least one Pro Day scheduled. Most had at least seven. A couple had as many as twelve. That's a crazy schedule. For some reason, the Cleveland Browns were especially selective with their attendance. They had no representatives at the Manziel Pro Day or the South Carolina/Jadeveon Clowney Pro Day. They were probably the only team to do so. The Pro Day activity slows down considerably in April. Some teams might even take a little vacation before they make final preparations for the May 8-10 NFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings did just that. There are still some big Pro Days coming up next week.
April 7
Louisiana-Lafayette
Towson-running back Terrance West should get some attention
April 8
Maryland
Penn St.
April 9
LSU
April 10
Bloomsburg
April 11
Grand Valley St.
Tulane
April 15
Dixie St.
April 16
Georgia
I've wondered if Georgia scheduled at the end of the Pro Day tour with the hope that quarterback Aaron Murray might be healthy enough to take part. He tore an ACL during the season. If not for that injury, he might have been in part of the quarterback conversation with Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, and Derek Carr.
The Pro Days are coming to an end. All that we'll have left is hypothetical draft chatter. With the later draft this year, we'll even have a couple more weeks of that.
April 7
Louisiana-Lafayette
Towson-running back Terrance West should get some attention
April 8
Maryland
Penn St.
April 9
LSU
April 10
Bloomsburg
April 11
Grand Valley St.
Tulane
April 15
Dixie St.
April 16
Georgia
I've wondered if Georgia scheduled at the end of the Pro Day tour with the hope that quarterback Aaron Murray might be healthy enough to take part. He tore an ACL during the season. If not for that injury, he might have been in part of the quarterback conversation with Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, and Derek Carr.
The Pro Days are coming to an end. All that we'll have left is hypothetical draft chatter. With the later draft this year, we'll even have a couple more weeks of that.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Packers Picks
The Green Bay Packers last signed an unrestricted free agent on March 30, 2012. That player was defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove. It was a terrific signing. He was released in August of that very same year. Hargrove never played a single regular season snap for the Packers. I seriously doubt that a free agency failure of two years ago is the reason that Packers general manager Ted Thompson stays away from the unrestricted free agency pool. I also doubt that Thompson stays away from that pool, as the website Pro Football Talk suggests, to collect compensatory draft picks. He's just careful. At least, I'd like to think that's his reason. There are countless examples of high-priced free agent signings that have pretty much zero impact on a team's success on the field. There are far more free agency failures than there are success stories. Actually, two of the most successful free agency signings in the history of NFL free agency are Reggie White and Charles Woodson. Both signings by the Packers. Both done with Ted Thompson in that Packers front office. As general manager, he made the decision to sign Woodson. Pro Football Talk backs up it's claim that Thompson signs or doesn't sign players with compensatory picks in mind by his team's additions of defensive linemen Julius Peppers and Letroy Guion. Both players were released by their former teams so they don't factor into the compensatory pick equation. That's a very valid point by Pro Football Talk. Unfortunately, we can't know for certain whether Thompson would have signed either player if they were unrestricted free agents. I'm not saying that Thompson isn't going about his business with compensatory picks in mind. I couldn't possibly know why he does anything because he rarely says anything. I don't think that he enjoys talking to anybody. He always looks on the verge of tears or a nap. I just think that relying on compensatory picks is a foolish way to build a team. You're always starting over. These picks were meant to compensate teams for the loss of players. They weren't meant to be a reason for not even trying to retain players.
Ted Thompson believes in building the Green Bay Packers through the draft, not free agency. All teams say it. The Packers are one of the few teams that actually does it. They've skipped out on free agency the past two years. They don't want to pay the money that's called for in order to compete in free agency. Not only are they very selective in signing players from other teams, they are very selective in signing their own players. In order to gain compensatory picks they have to lose players. Each year the Packers lose players to other teams. I don't really consider this team building. They are constantly recycling young players for younger players and starting the process all over again. They draft a player, develop him, and then lose him to free agency. Maybe they get a compensatory pick. Maybe they don't. Either way they have to replace the players that they let walk. Losing Greg Jennings and Erik Walden to free agency last year brought them third and fifth round picks in the upcoming draft. The Packers have lost James Jones, Evan Dietrich-Smith, C.J. Wilson, and Marshall Newhouse this year. Despite adding Peppers and Guion, the Packers have added no unrestricted free agents. They should get, at least, a couple of picks next year. That stupid formula had better not shoot out out any picks higher than a fifth. I don't see this as team-building. It's like being on a treadmill. The Packers are very selective in the players that they retain and add but I think that they lack anything approaching stability. They have this constant roster-churn. Maybe it's good for competition but it does nothing for familiarity. Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers have won a Super Bowl. That does say something about his ability to put together a football team but he hasn't won since he's stayed out of the free agency pool.
Ted Thompson believes in building the Green Bay Packers through the draft, not free agency. All teams say it. The Packers are one of the few teams that actually does it. They've skipped out on free agency the past two years. They don't want to pay the money that's called for in order to compete in free agency. Not only are they very selective in signing players from other teams, they are very selective in signing their own players. In order to gain compensatory picks they have to lose players. Each year the Packers lose players to other teams. I don't really consider this team building. They are constantly recycling young players for younger players and starting the process all over again. They draft a player, develop him, and then lose him to free agency. Maybe they get a compensatory pick. Maybe they don't. Either way they have to replace the players that they let walk. Losing Greg Jennings and Erik Walden to free agency last year brought them third and fifth round picks in the upcoming draft. The Packers have lost James Jones, Evan Dietrich-Smith, C.J. Wilson, and Marshall Newhouse this year. Despite adding Peppers and Guion, the Packers have added no unrestricted free agents. They should get, at least, a couple of picks next year. That stupid formula had better not shoot out out any picks higher than a fifth. I don't see this as team-building. It's like being on a treadmill. The Packers are very selective in the players that they retain and add but I think that they lack anything approaching stability. They have this constant roster-churn. Maybe it's good for competition but it does nothing for familiarity. Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers have won a Super Bowl. That does say something about his ability to put together a football team but he hasn't won since he's stayed out of the free agency pool.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Throwback Thursday: Not So Stellar Steeler Drafts
Considering their consistent success over the last forty years it can be surprising that the Pittsburgh Steelers pretty much sucked for all of their first forty years. They really did. The Steelers didn't manage their first postseason victory until the team was nearly forty years old. It's hard to get that first postseason win when you are rarely ever part of the postseason. From their start in 1933 up to the late 1960s, the Steelers didn't do much right. Their only playoff appearance was in 1947. They finished that season tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the Eastern Conference title at 8-4. The Steelers lost the tie-breaking playoff game 21-0. It would be twenty five years before they experienced another playoff game. The Steelers were often competitive but they rarely saw sustained success. They just didn't have the players to win. Scouting then was nothing like it is today. Many teams simply flipped through college football magazines in preparation for the NFL Draft. For information on college players, the Steelers turned to an undertaker. Ray Byrne worked at his family's funeral home. When he wasn't doing that he managed the Steelers' college drafts during the 1940s and 1950s. He read all of the national football magazines, subscribed to all the newspapers, and diligently phoned college coaches across the nation. He kept careful notes and records on index cards. He moonlighted as the scouting staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers while working as an undertaker. With the Steelers lack of success, the jokes were obvious: "What are you doing, drafting a bunch of stiffs?"
Ray Byrne did the scouting. Others made the picks. The problem wasn't always the players that they failed to draft. It was also the players that they failed to keep. The Steelers drafted Louisville quarterback Johnny Unitas in the ninth round of the 1955 NFL Draft. The Steelers then cut Unitas without playing him for a single down during the preseason. In 1956, the Steelers had the "bonus pick"-the first overall selection in the NFL draft. They could have selected Penn State running back Lenny Moore but instead picked an unknown defensive back from Colorado named Gary Glick, a player that they had only read about but never seen. In 1957, the Steelers could have drafted Syracuse running back Jim Brown. They chose Purdue quarterback Len Dawson instead. Now, Dawson would eventually become a terrific player for the Kansas City Chiefs but, like Unitas, the Steelers quickly gave up on him. It's startling to think that the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1950s could have fielded a backfield of Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, and Lenny Moore. That might have changed their winning ways. Buddy Parker was hired as the Steelers coach in 1957. To say that he didn't much care for rookies or draft picks is a serious understatement. He wanted veterans. He would trade draft picks for veteran players at such a rate that in 1959 and 1963 the Steelers' first selections came in the eighth round.
The fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers changed for good at the end of the 1960s. They hired Chuck Noll as head coach and they got serious about the draft. The addition of Noll and defensive tackle Joe Greene in 1969 were the foundation for the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty of the 1970s. The Steelers drafts over the next five years were simply awesome. Greene in 1969, Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount in 1970, Jack Ham in 1971, Franco Harris in 1972, and finally, the 1974 NFL Draft. This might be the greatest draft haul in NFL history. Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster. Over six years, the Steelers drafted nine Hall of Famers. That's only counting the Hall of Famers. Those drafts were filled the football players that were critical in winning four Super Bowls over a six year period.
I've always been amazed that a team that could achieve nothing but mediocrity, at best, for so long could change so suddenly. The Steelers struggled for their first forty years because they drafted poorly. They had the right idea in employing the undertaker Ray Byrne but it seems that they forgot all about his work when it came time to make their selections. Turning to Chuck Noll and the scouting talents of Art Rooney Jr., Bill Nunn Jr., and Dick Haley changed the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Apparently for good.
Ray Byrne did the scouting. Others made the picks. The problem wasn't always the players that they failed to draft. It was also the players that they failed to keep. The Steelers drafted Louisville quarterback Johnny Unitas in the ninth round of the 1955 NFL Draft. The Steelers then cut Unitas without playing him for a single down during the preseason. In 1956, the Steelers had the "bonus pick"-the first overall selection in the NFL draft. They could have selected Penn State running back Lenny Moore but instead picked an unknown defensive back from Colorado named Gary Glick, a player that they had only read about but never seen. In 1957, the Steelers could have drafted Syracuse running back Jim Brown. They chose Purdue quarterback Len Dawson instead. Now, Dawson would eventually become a terrific player for the Kansas City Chiefs but, like Unitas, the Steelers quickly gave up on him. It's startling to think that the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1950s could have fielded a backfield of Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, and Lenny Moore. That might have changed their winning ways. Buddy Parker was hired as the Steelers coach in 1957. To say that he didn't much care for rookies or draft picks is a serious understatement. He wanted veterans. He would trade draft picks for veteran players at such a rate that in 1959 and 1963 the Steelers' first selections came in the eighth round.
The fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers changed for good at the end of the 1960s. They hired Chuck Noll as head coach and they got serious about the draft. The addition of Noll and defensive tackle Joe Greene in 1969 were the foundation for the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty of the 1970s. The Steelers drafts over the next five years were simply awesome. Greene in 1969, Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount in 1970, Jack Ham in 1971, Franco Harris in 1972, and finally, the 1974 NFL Draft. This might be the greatest draft haul in NFL history. Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster. Over six years, the Steelers drafted nine Hall of Famers. That's only counting the Hall of Famers. Those drafts were filled the football players that were critical in winning four Super Bowls over a six year period.
I've always been amazed that a team that could achieve nothing but mediocrity, at best, for so long could change so suddenly. The Steelers struggled for their first forty years because they drafted poorly. They had the right idea in employing the undertaker Ray Byrne but it seems that they forgot all about his work when it came time to make their selections. Turning to Chuck Noll and the scouting talents of Art Rooney Jr., Bill Nunn Jr., and Dick Haley changed the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Apparently for good.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Misquoted
I'm often amazed that football players and coaches even talk to the media. It rarely seems to matter what they say. The media will turn around and report what they want the player or coach to have said. The media is driven by stories or headlines that grab the reader or listener. Even if they have to make up that story. They want controversy. They want drama. I actually prefer the truth.
Last Thursday, a Minnesota Vikings delegation met with Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel over dinner. The team was very well represented at Manziel's Pro Day earlier in the day. They may have had the largest delegation. General manager Rick Spielman, head coach Mike Zimmer, offensive coordinator Norv Turner, and quarterback coach Scott Turner were all there to check out the hotshot quarterback. They took Manziel out to dinner after the Pro Day. They had a private workout with him the following day. If there was even a question whether the Vikings were interested in Manziel before his Pro Day. There was no question after. That's some significant time and effort. About ten days earlier, the Vikings had spent a similar amount of time with Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. However, Zimmer wasn't part of that delegation. He was at Florida's Pro Day. He had no conflicts to keep him from the Johnny Manziel Pro Day. Zimmer made some headlines following Manziel's Pro Day when he said that it was like a "sideshow." How could he not? There was a circus element to the whole event. The music. Former President George H. W. Bush, wife Barbara, and their dogs. The governor of Texas. It was unlike any Pro Day anyone had ever seen. Zimmer simply said as much. This was when the media started rolling with Zimmer's thoughts on Manziel. I never took what Zimmer said as a criticism of Johnny Manziel. It was more of an observation. An accurate observation. The media just took advantage of the fact that he said something about the show. At least, they didn't stray into fiction. That came a few days later.
"Vikings met with Manziel Friday; 'flags' came up in conversations"
That was the headline of a recent Mineapolis Star Tribune's Access Vikings blog. Surprisingly, it's an accurate statement. It came from Monday's appearance by Mike Zimmer on 104.9 The Horn in Austin. The Vikings did discuss the notable 'flags' that have come up during Manziel's celebrity tour since he won one of those Heismans.
The first sentence of the blog, however, isn't accurate. It just brings more drama than truth.
"Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said there are some 'flags' that popped up during the team's second meeting with Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel on Friday."
Zimmer said nothing about flags that popped up during the conversation with Manziel. Zimmer said that they asked Manziel about the 'flags' that have popped up with his off-the-field actions of the past year. The national media made their own spins off of the Star Tribune report. Those spins also circled the truth. All of the reports portrayed Mike Zimmer as anti-Manziel. I can see Zimmer loving Johnny Football. He just has concerns about Johnny Hollywood. No coach is happy when a player is in the headlines for something other than football. Especially his quarterback. He should be in the film room. If the Vikings are going to invest the #8 pick in the draft on a quarterback, they want to know about that quarterback. If they had no concerns, or 'flags', there was really no reason for spending any extra time with Manziel. They wouldn't have spent all of that time if they weren't interested and they wouldn't have spent all of that time if they didn't have concerns. Every team that is considering Manziel has these concerns. Zimmer just said it. He was being honest. He even said in his introductory press conference back in January that he's always honest. The media, especially the Vikings beat writers, is going to have to get used to that. They aren't going to be able to twist his words to get the headline or story that they want. They won't have to force out some hidden meaning or read between the lines. Zimmer says exactly what he's thinking so it's going to be pretty obvious when he's misquoted.
Last Thursday, a Minnesota Vikings delegation met with Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel over dinner. The team was very well represented at Manziel's Pro Day earlier in the day. They may have had the largest delegation. General manager Rick Spielman, head coach Mike Zimmer, offensive coordinator Norv Turner, and quarterback coach Scott Turner were all there to check out the hotshot quarterback. They took Manziel out to dinner after the Pro Day. They had a private workout with him the following day. If there was even a question whether the Vikings were interested in Manziel before his Pro Day. There was no question after. That's some significant time and effort. About ten days earlier, the Vikings had spent a similar amount of time with Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. However, Zimmer wasn't part of that delegation. He was at Florida's Pro Day. He had no conflicts to keep him from the Johnny Manziel Pro Day. Zimmer made some headlines following Manziel's Pro Day when he said that it was like a "sideshow." How could he not? There was a circus element to the whole event. The music. Former President George H. W. Bush, wife Barbara, and their dogs. The governor of Texas. It was unlike any Pro Day anyone had ever seen. Zimmer simply said as much. This was when the media started rolling with Zimmer's thoughts on Manziel. I never took what Zimmer said as a criticism of Johnny Manziel. It was more of an observation. An accurate observation. The media just took advantage of the fact that he said something about the show. At least, they didn't stray into fiction. That came a few days later.
"Vikings met with Manziel Friday; 'flags' came up in conversations"
That was the headline of a recent Mineapolis Star Tribune's Access Vikings blog. Surprisingly, it's an accurate statement. It came from Monday's appearance by Mike Zimmer on 104.9 The Horn in Austin. The Vikings did discuss the notable 'flags' that have come up during Manziel's celebrity tour since he won one of those Heismans.
The first sentence of the blog, however, isn't accurate. It just brings more drama than truth.
"Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said there are some 'flags' that popped up during the team's second meeting with Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel on Friday."
Zimmer said nothing about flags that popped up during the conversation with Manziel. Zimmer said that they asked Manziel about the 'flags' that have popped up with his off-the-field actions of the past year. The national media made their own spins off of the Star Tribune report. Those spins also circled the truth. All of the reports portrayed Mike Zimmer as anti-Manziel. I can see Zimmer loving Johnny Football. He just has concerns about Johnny Hollywood. No coach is happy when a player is in the headlines for something other than football. Especially his quarterback. He should be in the film room. If the Vikings are going to invest the #8 pick in the draft on a quarterback, they want to know about that quarterback. If they had no concerns, or 'flags', there was really no reason for spending any extra time with Manziel. They wouldn't have spent all of that time if they weren't interested and they wouldn't have spent all of that time if they didn't have concerns. Every team that is considering Manziel has these concerns. Zimmer just said it. He was being honest. He even said in his introductory press conference back in January that he's always honest. The media, especially the Vikings beat writers, is going to have to get used to that. They aren't going to be able to twist his words to get the headline or story that they want. They won't have to force out some hidden meaning or read between the lines. Zimmer says exactly what he's thinking so it's going to be pretty obvious when he's misquoted.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
More Mocks!
Oh boy, these are fun!
1. Houston Texans Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams Greg Robinson T Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
4. Cleveland Browns Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
5. Oakland Raiders Blake Bortles QB Central Florida
6. Atlanta Falcons Jake Matthews T Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
8. Minnesota Vikings Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
9. Buffalo Bills Mike Evans, WR Texas A&M
10. Detroit Lions Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
11. Tennessee Titans Anthony Barr, LB UCLA
12. New York Giants Taylor Lewan T Michigan
13. St. Louis Rams Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S Alabama
14. Chicago Bears Timmy Jernigan DT Florida St.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers Darqueze Denard CB Michigan St.
16. Baltimore Ravens Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
17. Dallas Cowboys Dee Ford, DE Auburn
18. New York Jets Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St.
19. Miami Dolphins Zack Martin T Notre Dame
20. Arizona Cardinals Aaron Donald DT Pitt
21. Green Bay Packers Calvin Pryor S Louisville
22. Philadelphia Eagles C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
23. Kansas City Chiefs Odell Beckham WR LSU
24. Cincinnati Bengals Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
25. San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett CB TCU
26. Cleveland Browns Xavier Su'a-Filo G UCLA
27. New Orleans Saints Kony Ealy DE Missouri
28. Carolina Panthers Marqise Lee WR USC
29. New England Patriots Stephon Tuitt DE Notre Dame
30. San Francisco 49ers Louis Nix Notre Dame
31. Denver Broncos Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St.
32. Seattle Seahawks Kelvin Benjamin WR Florida St.
The draft is still about a thousand (37) days away. A lot can change. If I recall correctly, Blaine Gabbert was considered the more likely choice of the Carolina Panthers about this time in 2011. No matter how much I hear about the Texans trading out of the #1 pick, or taking a quarterback, I really can't see them passing on Clowney. There is never a sure thing in the NFL Draft but athletic freaks like Clowney are so rare.
I really think that the Vikings are more likely to draft defense at #8 and wrestle with the quarterback choice at a later pick. There is just greater value with defensive players at that spot. If the Vikings do go defense (Barr, Gilbert, Denard), I like Georgia's Aaron Murray with, hopefully, one of their two third round picks. Despite the defensive value at #8, the importance of the quarterback position in today's NFL simply trumps other choices. I wouldn't be disappointed, or surprised, if Bridgewater is the choice. Despite Manziel's strong Pro Day, I think that Bridgewater is the top QB in the draft. If he's available at #8, you have to think about it. If he is the choice, I really like BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy in the second round. The nice thing about this draft is the fantastic depth. Brigewater and Van Noy or Barr/Gilbert and Murray. Both work for me. For now, I'm picking Bridgewater.
1. Houston Texans Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams Greg Robinson T Auburn
3. Jacksonville Jaguars Kahlil Mack LB Buffalo
4. Cleveland Browns Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
5. Oakland Raiders Blake Bortles QB Central Florida
6. Atlanta Falcons Jake Matthews T Texas A&M
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
8. Minnesota Vikings Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
9. Buffalo Bills Mike Evans, WR Texas A&M
10. Detroit Lions Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
11. Tennessee Titans Anthony Barr, LB UCLA
12. New York Giants Taylor Lewan T Michigan
13. St. Louis Rams Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S Alabama
14. Chicago Bears Timmy Jernigan DT Florida St.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers Darqueze Denard CB Michigan St.
16. Baltimore Ravens Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
17. Dallas Cowboys Dee Ford, DE Auburn
18. New York Jets Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St.
19. Miami Dolphins Zack Martin T Notre Dame
20. Arizona Cardinals Aaron Donald DT Pitt
21. Green Bay Packers Calvin Pryor S Louisville
22. Philadelphia Eagles C.J. Mosley LB Alabama
23. Kansas City Chiefs Odell Beckham WR LSU
24. Cincinnati Bengals Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
25. San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett CB TCU
26. Cleveland Browns Xavier Su'a-Filo G UCLA
27. New Orleans Saints Kony Ealy DE Missouri
28. Carolina Panthers Marqise Lee WR USC
29. New England Patriots Stephon Tuitt DE Notre Dame
30. San Francisco 49ers Louis Nix Notre Dame
31. Denver Broncos Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St.
32. Seattle Seahawks Kelvin Benjamin WR Florida St.
The draft is still about a thousand (37) days away. A lot can change. If I recall correctly, Blaine Gabbert was considered the more likely choice of the Carolina Panthers about this time in 2011. No matter how much I hear about the Texans trading out of the #1 pick, or taking a quarterback, I really can't see them passing on Clowney. There is never a sure thing in the NFL Draft but athletic freaks like Clowney are so rare.
I really think that the Vikings are more likely to draft defense at #8 and wrestle with the quarterback choice at a later pick. There is just greater value with defensive players at that spot. If the Vikings do go defense (Barr, Gilbert, Denard), I like Georgia's Aaron Murray with, hopefully, one of their two third round picks. Despite the defensive value at #8, the importance of the quarterback position in today's NFL simply trumps other choices. I wouldn't be disappointed, or surprised, if Bridgewater is the choice. Despite Manziel's strong Pro Day, I think that Bridgewater is the top QB in the draft. If he's available at #8, you have to think about it. If he is the choice, I really like BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy in the second round. The nice thing about this draft is the fantastic depth. Brigewater and Van Noy or Barr/Gilbert and Murray. Both work for me. For now, I'm picking Bridgewater.
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