PAT Boggle

I've never understood the issue that so many have with the NFL's current Point after Touchdown system. The PAT. Ball snapped from the 2-yard line. A nice, easy kick from about the 10-yard line. An easy single point to cap off a touchdown. A 7-point point package. I don't understand the issues with this because I don't care that the kick has become automatic. Apparently, there aren't many that feel this way. The PAT system is going to change.

Peter King wrote about this issue in his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback column on his brilliant website of the same name. He mentioned that the Tennessee Titans haven't missed a PAT since 2005, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers since 2006. That's pretty automatic. The NFL owners met last week in Arizona to talk rules of the game. The PAT was a hotly debated topic. The system is going to change. 30 of 32 owners want it to change. I wonder if two of those owners are among the owners of the Titans, Chiefs, and 49ers. The owners want it to change but there was no consensus on how to change it. The suggestions were "all over the map." Since there was no consensus the PAT boggle was tabled until the owners meet again in May. The Competition Committee, which presents proposed rule changes to the owners, must come up with a compromise PAT system that will get the required 24 votes. Since so many of the ownership want a change I'm sure that something will be done to change it.

Here's what King presented in his column:

"This is the most likely compromise to be advanced, and the most likely way the league will amend how teams can score after a touchdown:

• Teams will have a choice whether to go for one or two points after a touchdown, from different distances.

• If the offensive team chooses to kick for one point, the scrimmage line will move from the 2-yard-line to the 15-yard line, making it a 32- or 33-yard attempt.

• If the offensive team chooses to go for two points, the scrimmage line will be either the 1-and-a half- or 2-yard line. There was much debate about making it the 1, the 1-and-a-half or the 2. The feeling about putting it on the 1 was that it could turn into too much of a scrum/push-the-pile play, or a fluky puncture-the-goal-line-with-the-ball-and-bring-it-back play by the quarterback. Putting it at the 1-and-a-half or leaving it at the 2 would increase the chances of a real football play with some drama.

• The defensive team would be able to score two points by either blocking the PAT and returning it downfield to the end zone, or by intercepting the two-point attempt and running it back, or recovering a fumble on the two-point play and returning it all the way."

The main reason that I'm resistant to any change to the PAT system is that I'm a traditionalist. I love the game as it is and, for the most part, I don't like seeing anyone monkeying with the game. Even if it's something as routine as the PAT. I also realize that if it weren't for changes to this game that we'd still be watching the mass collision plays that defined the game in the late 1800s. No passing and 0-0 finals. What seems like a travesty now will probably be seen as brilliant in the next decade. Anyway, I've accepted that my beloved PAT is about to change. I'm ok with it. And, I agree with King that the above is probably the change that we'll be seeing. 

As for the spot of the 2-point attempt, I vote for the 2-yard line. But, I think that the 3-yard line is better. 

Vikings Needs?

Judging an NFL team's draft needs is an exact science. Anything that's opinion-based is inexact. When it comes to the draft needs of an NFL team the only opinion that really matters is the opinion of that team. The coaches and personnel peeps are the only ones that have an accurate measure of their teams needs, wants, strengths, and weaknesses. Beyond the team's decision-makers it's a team's beat writers and fans that know the team best and that's a mixed bag of nuts at best. All this is to say that the national media talking heads have 32 teams to cover. They have to honk on about the needs of 32 teams. They might know one or two teams well. If they are a former player they might know their former team well. If they are based in a certain market they might know the team that resides there or near there well. Lance Zierlein is an NFL Media draft analyst. His mock drafts can be found alongside those of Daniel Jeremeiah, Bucky Brooks, and Charles Davis, and Charley Casserly on NFL.com. Zierlein comes out of Houston so the Texans are likely the team that he knows best. He does fine work and provides a nice mix with the other characters that make up the NFL's draft coverage. He recently published a column on NFL.com listing the top five draft needs of all 32 teams and a brief analysis of those needs. Here's what Zierlein had to say about the needs of the Minnesota Vikings, the team that I know best:

Minnesota Vikings

Top 5 needs: OT, LB, CB, G, DT
No. of selections: 7
Draft picks: Round 1 (11), Round 2 (45), Round 3 (76), Round 4 (110), Round 5 (137), Round 7 (228), Round 7 (232)
Analysis: Matt Kalil's struggles at left tackle and the end to his rookie contract after 2015 could signal a new direction at that position for the Vikings. They need help and depth on the interior of the offensive and defensive lines. Minnesota could look to upgrade the cornerback spot opposite Xavier Rhodes. The Vikings need to upgrade their current LB situation with at least one new starter.

Nice work. Much appreciated. It's always nice to see the fairly well-informed opinion of others. But, this analysis has some holes. Zierlein lists defensive tackle as one of the five biggest needs of the Minnesota Vikings. Talking heads often spout that a team needs to improve the depth and/or talent of the interior of the offensive and defensive lines. It sounds good, it's non-specific, and it can apply to pretty much every team in the league. With the offseason re-signing of Tom Johnson, defensive tackle might be the Vikings strongest and deepest position. The starters are Sharrif Floyd and Linval Joseph. Both started together for the first time last year. They are growing and learning together. If he can stay on the field, Floyd is well on his way to becoming a dominant football player. Joseph, at a minimum, provides a solid, large presence in the middle. Johnson provided a tremendous pass rushing presence in a limited number of snaps in his first year with the Vikings last year. Shamar Stephen was one of the most promising surprises from the 2014 draft. If he continues to improve his future is bright. Head coach Mike Zimmer likes to rotate his defensive linemen. With Floyd, Joseph, Johnson, and Stephen he has the talent and depth to do so at defensive tackle. There's always room for improvement at a position but defensive tackle is far from a need for the Vikings. I'd put receiver or safety as a fifth position of need. 

Offensive tackle is an area of concern for the Vikings. The entire offensive line is an area of concern. At the moment, I don't see tackle as a need. The Vikings have yet to give up on 4th pick of the 2012 NFL Draft Matt Kalil and they shouldn't. There's no doubt that he has struggled the past two years after a strong rookie year. His play improved down the stretch last year and it should get better with a left guard other than Charlie Johnson playing next to him. Kalil had nagging injuries and as a result sagging confidence, as well as Johnson next to him, last year. Excuses won't save him again. If he doesn't play to the level of his talent this year offensive tackle will be a need next year. Perhaps the team's biggest need. RT Phil Loadholt is coming off a torn pectoral muscle that cut short his 2014 season. He should be healthy and ready for the 2015 season. If his knees don't end his career Antonio Richardson provides intriguing possibilities. As does Polish import Babatunde Aiyegbusi. 

If I were to write the Vikings portion of this "needs" column I would list the Vikings top five needs like this:

1. Middle linebacker

2. Left guard

3. Cornerback

4. Defensive end

5. Safety

An impact receiver wouldn't hurt.

One refreshing, so  refreshing, thing to note on any list of 2015 Vikings needs is the absence of quarterback. That position has been a Vikings need for about a decade. 

"Waiting in the Weeds"

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman stated that his team would be "waiting in the weeds" in their approach to NFL Free Agency 2015. Some said that he wasn't speaking truthfully. He was. The Vikings did make one big move through trade. Other than that they waited "in the weeds." Here's what that "waiting..." yielded:

Re-signed their own:
Tom Johnson, DT
Joe Berger, OL
Mike Harris, OL
Matt Asiata, RB
Cullen Loeffler, LS

Signed:
Shaun Hill, QB
DuJuan Harris, RB
Casey Matthews, LB
Taylor Mays, S
Terrence Newman, CB
Babatunde Aiyegbusi, T

Acquired through trade:
Mike Wallace, WR

The Vikings also signed former Canadian Football League S/LB Brian Peters

The Vikings traded QB Matt Cassel and a 6th round pick to the Buffalo Bills for a 5th round pick. The Vikings sent their own 5th to the Miami Dolphins for Mike Wallace and a 7th. It might not be the activity that many hoped but the Vikings have been active this offseason. The Wallace trade was the biggest move of the offseason. At least in terms of name recognition. They didn't give up much to get a player that could make a huge impact. Few receivers have the deep speed of Wallace. That vertical threat should open up the offense for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in his second year. Adding Wallace did end up costing the Vikings the steady play, and veteran leadership of Greg Jennings but it was a risk worth taking. With Wallace the Vikings got a little younger at receiver and much more dangerous.

It would be awesome if the Vikings were adding the Terrence Newman of a decade ago. He will turn 37 before the season starts. That's a rare age for any NFL player. Let alone a corner. It's also rare for Spielman to bring in a free agent well over 30. Hopefully, Newman shows the longevity of Darrell Green and Charles Woodson. With a one-year salary of $2.5 million, Newman is probably expected to be much more than a coach on the field. If the Vikings had to play a game today Terrence Newman is probably the starting corner opposite Xavier Rhodes. The 36-year old Newman was a solid starter for the Cincinnati Bengals last season so he's doing a decent job of holding off Father Time. He's played a decent amount of his career with Mike Zimmer in both Dallas and Cincinnati. Coach and player have a great deal of respect for each other and it's safe to say that mutual respect is a big reason for Newman in a Vikings uniform. Zimmer says that Newman "can still play." Sounds great. Taylor Mays has also played for Zimmer. With terrific athletic ability, size, and speed, he should be a nice addition in "special" defenses as a dime LB/S. He should also be a significant contributor on special teams. Casey Matthews will also contribute on special teams and add depth at linebacker. He has some starting experience at inside linebacker. A great need for the Vikings at the moment. Shaun Hill replaces Matt Cassel as the backup to starter Teddy Bridgewater. DuJuan Harris will join the running back competition. One of the most curious additions was that of the tackle from Poland, Babatunde Aiyegbusi. He's a raw player but a huge player. 6'8" and 351 lbs. He's been destroying slight competition in the football leagues of Poland and Germany. Those in front of him were simply destroyed. "Babs" ran the 40 in 5.28 and had a vertical leap of just over 26 inches at a recent Pro Day at the University of Texas-San Antonio. Those are better than decent numbers for a player of his immense size. He says that his football intentions aren't complete until he can handle J.J. Watt. At the very least he has his target set on the right player. If he can handle Watt he can handle any player in the league. His size, movement, strength, and attitude are very intriguing. There's really no risk and the upside is as huge as the man.

With the activity of the past several weeks the Flea Flicker view of the Vikings projected starting lineup heading into the draft looks like this:

WR  Mike Wallace
  T    Matt Kalil
  G   David Yankey
  C   John Sullivan
  G   Brandon Fusco
  T    Phil Loadholt
TE    Kyle Rudolph
WR  Charles Johnson
QB  Teddy Bridgewater
RB   Adrian Peterson
FB   Zach Line

DE  Everson Griffen
DT  Sharrif Floyd
DT  Linval Joseph
DE  Brian Robison
LB  Anthony Barr
LB  Audie Cole
LB  Gerald Hodges
CB  Xavier Rhodes
CB  Terrence Newman
 S    Harrison Smith
 S    Robert Blanton

If Yankey can hold down the left guard spot in his second year, the offense could be set. Solidifying that spot on the line, an improved Kalil, and a return to health of the right side of the line is crucial. Improvement from the offensive line is perhaps the Vikings greatest need going into the 2015 NFL season. Another receiver wouldn't hurt. Middle linebacker is the biggest question on defense. Cole is penciled in for now. At best, Newman is a one-year stop-gap at corner. Smith is terrific at one safety spot. Blanton, Antone Exum, Taylor Mays, Andrew Sendejo, or a rookie has to step up next to him.

"Waiting in the Weeds" might not have been fun for a lot of people (fans) but the Vikings are moving in the right direction. If a team drafts the right players much more often than not they don't really need to do much in free agency.

Pre-April, Post-Two Weeks of Free Agency Mock Draft

Just can't stop these things.

1.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
2.   Tennessee Titans-Leonard Williams, DT, USC
3.   Jacksonville Jaguars-Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida
4.   Oakland Raiders-Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
5.   Washington Redskins-Randy Gregory, LB/DE, Nebraska
6.   New York Jets-Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
7.   Chicago Bears-Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
8.   Atlanta Falcons-Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
9.   New York Giants-Vic Beasley, LB/DE, Clemson
10. St. Louis Rams-D.J. Humphries, T, Florida
11. Minnesota Vikings-Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan St.
12. Cleveland Browns-DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13. New Orleans Saints-Brandon Scherff, T, Iowa
14. Miami Dolphins-Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
15. San Francisco 49ers-Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
16. Houston Texans-Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
17. San Diego Chargers-Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
18. Kansas City Chiefs-La'el Collins, T, LSU
19. Cleveland Browns-Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
20. Philadelphia Eagles-Landon Collins, S, Alabama
21. Cincinnati Bengals-T.J. Clemmings, T, Pittsburgh
22. Pittsburgh Steelers-Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky
23. Detroit Lions-Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
24. Arizona Cardinals-Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
25. Carolina Panthers-Andrus Peat, T, Stanford
26. Baltimore Ravens-Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona St.
27. Dallas Cowboys-Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas
28. Denver Broncos-Cedric Ogbuehi, T, Texas A&M
29. Indianapolis Colts-Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
30. Green Bay Packers-La'el Collins, T, LSU
31. New Orleans Saints-Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi St.
32. New England Patriots-Carl Davis, DT, Iowa

I don't think that I've treated offensive linemen with the respect that they deserve in any of these mock drafts. More than three will probably be drafted in the first 20 picks. For that reason alone this mock is crap.

The draft talk of the moment is Randy Gregory's failed drug test at the Combine for marijuana. Many talking heads are honking about a potential draft day fall. I don't see it. I don't think that he even drops out of the top-10. Percy Harvin tested positive for marijuana at the 2009 Combine and the Vikings still selected him with the 22nd pick. Harvin might have been a top-10 talent but character and injury concerns pegged him about where he was drafted. The positive drug test did little to impact his draft status. Come draft day I think that Gregory will be drafted near where his talent dictates. It's just the topic of the moment. It too will pass. Then again concerns for Gregory's off-field fondness for weed could linger like the tragic Pro Day of Teddy Bridgewater. The Louisville quarterback never regained his steam and damn near dropped out of the first round. Who knows? As a Vikings fan, I thank every NFL decision-maker every day for forgetting about Bridgewater's fine college career and putting all their emphasis on one shaky practice day. Maybe I'll be thanking those same geniuses again.

Enough Already

If I was Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman or head coach Mike Zimmer I would have lost it months ago. How many times have they had to answer questions about running back Adrian Peterson. How many times are they going to have to answer the same damn question? "Is Peterson going to play for the Vikings?" It's beyond ridiculous. The answer from the Vikings hasn't changed. Why would the media expect it to change? The answer isn't going to change simply because some clown in the media asked it again. And again. And again. And again. Even Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf have stated the fact that Adrian Peterson is a member of, and will remain a member of, the Minnesota Vikings. If the owners say it's so that usually means it's so. This is far worse than the media-driven soap opera around the Vikings two year dance with Bret Favre. That was only truly annoying for at most a couple of months for a couple of summers. This Peterson nonsense has been going on since September. I just wish that it would end. Please. Just end.

Adrian Peterson's idiot agent Ben Dogra might be even worse than the media. Check this out:

Dogra said that the standstill comes down to how the Vikings view his client. "I would like to have their position in writing and they have not done so," Dogra said. "Is Adrian the face of their franchise or is he in their mind a 30-year old running back? I want them to tell us that."

Seriously? In writing? Uh, Ben, Adrian Peterson is a 30-year old running back. He might be different than any other 30-year old running back that has ever played but he is a 30-year old running back. Dogra wants the Vikings to state, in writing, that Peterson is the face of the franchise. Well, Peterson can't be the face of the franchise when his agent is dicking around suggesting that his client would be much happier with another franchise. Which is it Ben? The face of the franchise? Or a nuisance? Adrian Peterson has been the face of the franchise since he was selected with the seventh pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. He's been the face of the franchise since he bobbled a screen pass and took it about 60 yards for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in his first NFL game. The chaos brought by a crazed, drama-hungry media and a dipshit agent are pretty much the only things in the way of Peterson continuing as the face of the Minnesota Vikings. There was a moment during the 2014 season that Mike Zimmer said that the Vikings had become Teddy Bridgewater's team. Maybe Bridgewater's emergence as the quarterback of the present and the future has made Peterson feel a little smaller. Who knows? Peterson didn't need a hand-written note from the office stating his importance when Favre became a team leader in 2009. Why does he need it now? Maybe Dogra is the one that really needs it to feel like he's more than a clown. The best way to remain the face of a franchise is not become a thorn in the side of that franchise.

The thing that bothers me most about this mess is that Adrian Peterson is the one that created this mess. He disciplined his child in a manner that is now frowned upon in this supposedly civilized society. That's why we are in the middle of this ridiculous soap opera. It's not the Vikings fault that Peterson's questionable act required discipline from the league. The Vikings have supported him throughout the ordeal. According to Cris Carter, the Vikings fought with the NFL to get Peterson put on the Commissioner's Exempt List so that he could continue to be paid. Few knew that this Exempt List existed. Let alone it's purpose. I'm not sure what the alternative was but it was more severe than this secret list. The Vikings supported their face of their franchise. Peterson was, and still is, upset with Vikings VP of Legal Affairs Kevin Warren. Peterson saw Warren as working to keep him off of the football field. Warren was simply acting in the Vikings best interests from a legal point of view. He was doing his job. It wasn't so much that he was working against Peterson as he was working for the Vikings. Peterson complained that he lost a lot of money last fall. He lost some to fines. He lost a lot more from a drop in endorsements. That sort of thing happens when you do something that gets you kicked off the field. I love Adrian Peterson as a football player but he's out of his mind if he thinks that anyone other than the person in the mirror is the reason for his woes.

In early February, outside of a courthouse after another day in court, Peterson was asked if he wanted to play in Minnesota next year. "Of course" was his answer. Through the constant barrage of amazingly redundant questions over the past several weeks the Vikings have made their strongest comments in support of Peterson in a Vikings uniform. Peterson is supposedly whistling a different tune a couple of months later. What's changed? Not a damn thing. Except for the media's bizarre interest in asking the same question at a mind-numbing rate. And a ridiculous agent.

I want to see this nonsense end. I definitely want to see Adrian Peterson continue his career as the face of the Minnesota Vikings. But, I really want to see this nonsense end.

Throwback Thursday: Looking Back At A Wild Trade.

In Indianapolis they call it the Eric Dickerson trade. In Buffalo they call it the Cornelius Bennett. Nearly everybody else agrees with the Indianapolis side. So much so that many people forget that Bennett was part of the trade. The one thing that everyone agrees on is that this was a wild trade that went down on Halloween Night in 1987. It involved three teams: the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills. The Colts and Bills received impact football players. The Rams received a bunch of picks and a couple of players. It was an idea of 28-year old Colts general manager Jim Irsay. Here's how this wild trade went down:

Rams traded:
Eric Dickerson, RB

Rams received:
Owen Gill, RB
Greg Bell, RB
Buffalo 1988 #1
Indianapolis 1988 #1
Indianapolis 1988 #2
Buffalo 1989 #1
Indianapolis 1989 #2
Buffalo 1989 #2

Colts traded:
Owen Gill, RB
Rights to Cornelius Bennett, LB
1988 #1
1988 #2
1989 #2

Colts received:
Eric Dickerson, RB

Bills traded:
Greg Bell, RB
1988 #1
1989 #1
1989 #2

Bills received:
Right to Cornelius Bennett, LB

This trade was nuts. A lot of picks. 3 #1s, 3 #2s. Two impact football players in Eric Dickerson and Cornelius Bennett. Dickerson was already the best running back in the league. Bennett had yet to take an NFL snap but he was about to become one of the best linebackers in the league as soon as he did. It's really no surprise that Irsay went looking for a third team to make this trade work. He couldn't cough up enough picks to make the Rams happy. He decided to turn Bennett, a that he couldn't sign, into the picks that he needed. The Bills were on the verge of becoming a dominant team and a player like Bennett could put them over the hump.

History shows us that all three teams benefited from this trade. The Bills saw the most team success. Bennett helped lead them to four straight Super Bowl appearances. Dickerson had a couple of great seasons with the Colts but team success wasn't so great. Their only playoff appearance was the year that he joined them. The Rams drafted some solid players with their bushel of picks (Gaston Green, Aaron Cox, Fred Strickland, Cleveland Gary, Frank Stams, Darryl Henley) but none propelled the franchise to new heights.

In his recent book, Bill Polian mentioned that the Minnesota Vikings tried to get involved in this trade. Vikings GM Mike Lynn told Polian after the fact that he had gone to the movies and was never able to make his best offer. Pity the years before cell phones. Polian found out later that the Vikings failure to get involved in this deal was the impetus for the Herschel Walker trade made two years later. It was certainly the blueprint for what it takes to obtain a dominant running back. Too much. Both trades moved a package that included three #1s and  three #2s. And so much more. The entire trade was too much.

Trades like this are simply too wild to be real but they do happen. Not often. But they do happen.

Compensatory Picks

The Compensatory Picks for the 2015 NFL Draft were announced on Monday. The awarding of these picks has been a thing since 1994. That's pretty much since free agency has been around. The purpose of the picks has always been to award teams for losing more than they gained in the free agency process each year. The NFL has a secret formula for determining which and how many Compensatory Picks a team should receive. The NFL's secrecy of the process is a mystery but some clever folk have figured it out quite accurately. The worth of each free agent is determined by the contract they sign. For whatever reason performance for the new team seems to carry less importance than the money that they earn. For that reason alone, the Compensatory Pick process is a joke. A perfect example of this occurred this year. The Cincinnati Bengals lost defensive end Michael Johnson and tackle Anthony Collins in free agency last year. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed both to very healthy contracts. The Bengals received a third round pick for losing Johnson and a fourth round pick for losing Collins. Johnson and Collins performed at such a level in 2014 that the Buccaneers recently released both. The poor performances, always a better measure of value than pay, didn't keep the Bengals from collecting those picks. Not only that, the Bengals re-signed Johnson over the weekend. That's right. They are receiving a third round draft pick as compensation for losing a player that is now on their roster.

I suppose that dishing out Compensatory Picks is terrific if your team is receiving them. The Minnesota Vikings rarely receive these gifts so maybe I am a bit jaded. The Vikings have rarely been big spenders in free agency. They have also done a good job of keeping their younger, promising players. When they do let players go those players are often in their 30s (like Jared Allen and Kevin Williams last year) and those veteran players are downgraded in the great, secret Compensatory Equation. In this sense teams are rewarded for letting the players that they drafted and developed walk out the door after four or five years. That seems counterproductive to the team-building process. The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the teams that gained the most from the picks this year. Four picks. Over the past two years they have dumped nearly the entirety of their offensive line. And, it was a talented line. They let Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah, and Geoff Schwartz walk last year. They let Rodney Hudson walk this year. I just don't see the reasoning behind rewarding those decisions. The Denver Broncos also saw four picks come their way. That's astonishing in that they were one of the biggest spenders last offseason. They lost a lot of players but it was unanimous on all fronts that they gained more than they lost last offseason. That gain in talent got them an extra four picks in the draft.

I see the whole process as a joke. The biggest problem with the process is compensation being heavily based on the contracts that the players sign. Free agency is a spending spree. Teams get into bidding wars and the resulting contracts are rarely an accurate measure of anything other than one team's willingness to spend. The Bengals signing Michael Johnson and receiving a third round Compensatory Pick for losing him might start some discussion but I doubt that it's going anywhere anytime soon. So here, brought to you by a flawed system, are the 2015 Compensatory Picks and the free agent additions and subtractions that impacted them:

The following 2015 compensatory draft picks have been determined by the NFL Management Council:
ROUND CHOICE/ROUND CHOICE/ROUND OVERALL SELECTION TEAM
3 33-97 New England
3 34-98 Kansas City
3 35-99 Cincinnati
4 33-132 San Francisco
4 34-133 Denver
4 35-134 Seattle
4 36-135 Cincinnati
4 37-136 Baltimore
5 33-169 Carolina
5 34-170 Seattle
5 35-171 Baltimore
5 36-172 Kansas City
5 37-173 Kansas City
5 38-174 Houston
5 39-175 Baltimore
6 33-208 Denver
6 34-209 Seattle
6 35-210 Green Bay
6 36-211 Houston
6 37-212 Green Bay
6 38-213 Carolina
6 39-214 Seattle
6 40-215 St. Louis
6 41-216 Houston
6 42-217 Kansas City
7 33-250 Denver
7 34-251 Denver
7 35-252 Pittsburgh
7 36-253 New England
7 37-254 San Francisco
7 38-255 Indianapolis
7 39-256 Arizona

The compensatory free agents lost and signed in 2014 by the clubs that will receive compensatory picks in the 2015 draft:
ARIZONA
Lost: Antoine Cason, Karlos Dansby, Jim Dray, Andre Roberts
Gained: Ted Ginn, Ted Larsen, Jared Veldheer
BALTIMORE
Lost: Ed Dickson*, Corey Graham, James Ihedigbo, Arthur Jones, Michael Oher
Gained: Darian Stewart
CAROLINA
Lost: Ted Ginn, Domenik Hixon, Brandon LaFell, Michael Mitchell, Captain Munnerlyn
Gained: Antoine Cason, Jerricho Cotchery, Ed Dickson
CINCINNATI
Lost: Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson
Gained: None
DENVER
Lost: Robert Ayers, Zane Beadles, Eric Decker, Jeremy Mincey^, Knowshon Moreno,
Shaun Phillips, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Wesley Woodyard
Gained: Emmanuel Sanders, Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward
GREEN BAY
Lost: Evan Dietrich-Smith, James Jones, C.J. Wilson*
Gained: None
HOUSTON
Lost: Joe Mays, Earl Mitchell, Antonio Smith, Ben Tate
Gained: Kendrick Lewis
INDIANAPOLIS
Lost: Antoine Bethea, Donald Brown, Kavell Conner
Gained: Arthur Jones, Hakeem Nicks
KANSAS CITY
Lost: Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah, Quintin Demps, Tyson Jackson, Akeem Jordan^,
Kendrick Lewis^, Dexter McCluster, Geoff Schwartz
Gained: Joe Mays, Vance Walker
NEW ENGLAND
Lost: LeGarrette Blount, Dane Fletcher, Brandon Spikes, Aqib Talib
Gained: Brandon Browner, Brandon LaFell
PITTSBURGH
Lost: Ryan Clark, Jerricho Cotchery, Evander Hood, David Johnson*, Emmanuel
Sanders, Al Woods
Gained: LeGarrette Blount, Michael Mitchell, Arthur Moats, Cam Thomas
SEATTLE
Lost: Brandon Browner, Breno Giacomini, Chris Maragos^, Clinton McDonald, Paul
McQuistan^, Golden Tate, Walter Thurmond^
Gained: None
SAN FRANCISCO
Lost: Tarell Brown, Anthony Dixon, Donte Whitner
Gained: Antoine Bethea
ST. LOUIS
Lost: Kellen Clemens, Shelley Smith, Darian Stewart, Chris Williams
Gained: Kenny Britt, Alex Carrington, Shaun Hill
*Did not qualify for a compensatory pick, 32 picks already awarded.
^Compensatory pick not awarded. Maximum of four already allocated.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Well, the last few days have been rather depressing here at the Flicker. It's time to kick up the smiles a little bit. Here are few of my favorite things.

Adrian Peterson in a Vikings uniform.

Larry Fitzgerald catching passes.

J.J. Watt chasing quarterbacks.

Lavonte David in pursuit.

Darrelle Revis blanketing receivers.

LeSean McCoy cutting.

Rob Gronkowski.

Julio Jones.

Aaron Rodgers throwing.

Devin Hester returning kicks. Still.

Tom Brady leading.

Peyton Manning before the snap.

Justin Houston attacking the quarterback.

Kyle Williams collapsing the pocket.

J.J. Watt chasing backs.

A.J. Green. So smooth.

Peyton Manning after the snap.

Odell Beckham Jr.

Harrison Smith roaming.

Drew Brees' accuracy.

Von Miller turning the corner.

Phillip Rivers' wonky throwing motion.

Anthony Barr.

Gerald McCoy off the line.

Charles Johnson getting open. Wide open.

J.J. Watt crushing everybody in a different uniform.

Joe Haden in coverage.

DeAndre Levy's instincts.

Eric Weddle's beard.

Levy's too.

Xavier Rhodes.

Patrick Willis playing linebacker.

Teddy Bridgewater.

Adrian Peterson in a Vikings uniform.

Very Sad

"Father Time is undefeated." I've been hearing that said more often these days. That happens as you get older. When I first started paying attention to football in general and the NFL in particular Johnny Unitas was still throwing passes. He was in Charger blue, which was strange even to this little kid, but he was active. Dick Butkus was still playing. Sonny Jurgensen too. Red Grange, Bronco Nagurski, and Johnny Blood were alive. George Halas was still making football decisions. Paul Brown too. The NFL had just turned 50. The league was young. The history so brief. Now, the league feels so much older as we creep towards it's 100th birthday. I've thought about this a lot since I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time in 2013. I've been thinking about the age of the league and especially the age of it's former players even more since the sad passing of Chuck Bednarik on Saturday.

When I first became aware of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Unitas and Butkus weren't even eligible for induction. Canton, Ohio was a distant, sacred place to me. They had only been inducting players for a decade. Most of those honored there were still alive and well. In middle age or younger. Many looked like they could still play some football. When I finally made it to Canton for Cris Carter's induction in 2013 it was the 50th anniversary of the Hall. A lot had changed. Not only were the busts of the greats right there in front of me so were a lot of the players. It was the largest gathering Canton had ever seen. They weren't the physical marvels that thrilled me for years with their football skills. They were human. They were much more like me than I could ever believe them to be. I love the idea of a world where Mel Hein could talk to Dwight Stephenson about the particulars of snapping a football. John Unitas and Raymond Berry together again. Lombardi and Lambeau having their first nice chat. Perhaps even an embrace. All of them frozen in time in their prime.

Charley Trippi and Y.A. Tittle are the last remaining Hall of Fame players to have started their NFL careers in the 1940s. Trippi in 1947. Tittle in 1948. Tittle never looked like a youngster. Even in 1948. My father attended the University of San Francisco at the same time as Gino Marchetti and Ollie Matson. Pete Rozelle too. Marchetti is 88. Rozelle died in 1996. Matson in 2011. All three are frozen in my mind as the 20-somethings that I saw in my father's USF yearbook. My father too. Time just keeps on moving. Sometimes it feels like only a year or two ago that Bud Grant was on the sideline coaching the Minnesota Vikings. Those great memories are always so fresh. It's actually shocking to think that Dennis Green coached the team more recently and that Grant is about to turn 88. It's easier to think of our heroes as immortal. Something other than ourselves. It's hard to accept them as mortal. As human. Chuck Bednarik played his entire NFL career before I was born. I've read so much about him. I've seen him damn near kill Frank Gifford and tackle Jim Taylor so many times that I feel like I was there. I think of him as "Concrete Charlie" the Philadelphia Eagles legend far more easily than I think of him as Chuck Bednarik the man. He's always been part of my football family. My football history. It's always sad to lose a member of your family. A part of your history.

Football is often handed down from generation to generation. My father handed me his experiences with Paul Brown, Marion Motley, Frankie Albert, Joe Perry, Bill Willis, Otto Graham, Bruno Banducci and the rest of the All-America Football Conference. That old conference was alive and well in the bright eyes of a kid in the 1970s thanks to my father's tales. He was a 49ers fan but greatly appreciated the football work of Paul Brown and his Cleveland Browns. So, I did too. I loved football's past before I truly understood football's present. If the 1950s Baltimore Colts had played in the 1970s I might have become a fan of that team before I fell for the Minnesota Vikings. I will always have those football talks with my father. My love of the game started then. I will always have my memories of Chuck Bednarik and the rest of my football family that are no longer here. And that isn't so sad.

RIP Mr. Bednarik

The NFL lost one of it's iconic football players. Chuck Bednarik passed away yesterday morning after a brief illness. He was 89.

Bednarik=Football.

It's as simple as that. Nagurski, Hinkle, Hein, Baugh, Bulldog Turner, Halas, Hubbard, Johnny Blood, Bednarik. Names that mean football. Names that were football. The way that it used to be played. Chuck Bednarik bridged football eras. He was the last of the two-way players. The 60-minute players. I always found it interesting that Bednarik was the last to play offense, defense, and then some yet his career started with the introduction of two-platoon football. Bednarik entered the league in 1949 and free substitution was allowed in 1950. He played offense and defense at a time when he no longer had to play offense and defense. He played both because he was great at both. He earned All-NFL honors at center. He earned them at linebacker. The list of players that were great on offense and defense is a short list. Bednarik is on it.

Chuck Bednarik played his entire entire 14-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He helped lead the Eagles to the 1949 NFL Championship in his rookie season. They won again in his 12th season. He was no longer playing center but an injury returned him to his 60-minute ways during the season. He played nearly the entire 1960 NFL Championship game against the Green Bay Packers. His game-saving tackle of Jim Taylor preserved the win for the Eagles. It was also the only postseason game that Vince Lombardi would ever lose.

Chuck Bednarik is an icon to the football world. He may mean more than that to Pennsylvania. He was born in Bethlehem, PA. Excluding a detour for World War II, a detour that included 30 combat missions over Germany as a B-24 waist-gunner, he spent his entire life in the state. He went to Liberty High School in Bethlehem. He attended the University of Pennsylvania. Maxwell Trophy winner. Third in the Heisman Trophy voting. Not bad for a center/linebacker. First pick in the 1949 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He earned his nickname "Concrete Charlie" for his offseason work in the concrete business. It was an appropriate nickname for his work on the football field as well. Not only did he work on every down of his football job. He worked year round. Players had to do that then. The Eagles have won three NFL titles. Bednarik was a big part of two of them. It's impossible to imagine Eagles football without visions of Bednarik roaming the field. In a state that is linked so strongly to the quarterbacks that it has produced it's kinda funny that it's most iconic player is one that tried to put those quarterbacks to sleep.

Chuck Bednarik's football profile is so full that it reads more like fiction. All-Pro. Pro Bowls. Pro Bowl MVP. NFL 1950s All-Decade Team. NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. Pro Football Hall of Fame. College Football Hall of Fame. He has a trophy named after him. The Bednarik Award is presented to the defensive player of the year in college football. Chuck Bednarik is football. He always will be.

Chuck Bednarik is survived by his wife, of 67 years, Emma, his five children, 10 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Proposed Rule Changes

The NFL owners will meet next week in Phoenix. They will undoubtedly discuss many things and do those things that owners do when they get together. Among those things will be be discussions on the expansion of the playoffs. The NFL is always looking at ways to make more money. Adding a couple more playoff games will certainly do that. The owners will also discuss the "catch-or-no-catch" rule. It sounds like they are more interested in making the rule more understandable than doing the right thing and changing it. The owners should not be allowed to leave Phoenix until they have fixed this ridiculous rule. The owners will also hear the competition committee present 23 proposed changes to rules and procedures. 19 were proposed by teams teams and four were proposed by the competition committee. These proposed changes will be discussed and voted on by the owners. They will also consider four bylaw changes and one resolution at the meetings. Here are those proposed changes:

Rule, Bylaw, Resolution Changes To Be Discussed At Owners Meetings

RULE PROPOSALS

1. Allow a coach to challenge any officials' decision, except scoring plays and turnovers.

2. Subject all fouls to review.

3. Subject personal foul penalties to Instant Replay review pursuant to a coach's challenge.

4. Subject personal foul penalties to instant replay review.

5. Subject to instant replay review any penalty that results in an automatic first down.

6. A foul against a defenseless receiver may be enforced when a reversal results in an incomplete pass.

7. Reviewable plays will include fouls against defenseless players, and an unsuccessful challenge will not cost a team a timeout.

8. Eliminate the requirement that a team be successful on each of its first two Instant Reply challenges in order to be awarded a third challenge.

9. Expand plays for which reviews will be initiated by the Replay Official to include those that would result in a score or change of possession if the on-field ruling is reversed.

10. Add review of game clock on the final play of a half or overtime to Instant Replay system.

11. Add review of play clock to the Instant Replay system.

12. Put fixed cameras on all boundary lines.

13. Stadium-produced video may be used for an Instant Replay review.

14. Move the line of scrimmage for Try Kicks to the defensive team's 15-yard line.

15. Add a bonus field goal for one additional point after a successful two-point attempt.

16. Prohibit Team B players from pushing teammates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation when Team A presents a punt formation.

17. Both teams will have a possession in overtime.

18. Extend the prohibition for an illegal "peel back" block to all offensive players.

19. Give the intended receiver of a pass defenseless player protection in the immediate continuing action following an interception.

20. Allow for the enforcement of an Unsportsmanlike Conduct foul at the end of a half to be applied to the ensuing kickoff.

21. Make it illegal for a back to chop a defensive player engaged above the waist by another offensive player outside the area originally occupied by the tight end.

22. Permit clubs to assign additional jersey numbers to linebackers. Add 40-49 as eligible numbers for linebackers, in addition to 50-59 and 90-99.

23. Make it illegal for an offensive player with an eligible number to report as ineligible and line up outside the core of the formation.

BYLAW PROPOSALS

1. Eliminate the cutdown to 75 players on the Active List.

2. Prohibit timing and on-field testing at a club's facility of any players who attended the League-wide Combine.

3. Permit clubs to designate after 4 p.m. ET on the day after the final roster reduction the one player eligible to return to their Active List from Reserve/Injured.

4. Change the date for the beginning of the window during which players on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform may begin practice.

RESOLUTION

1. Allow teams with retractable roofs to open them during halftime shows.

The majority of the rules changes involve instant replay in some fashion. There will always be some tinkering to the replay process. #15 was proposed by the Indianapolis Colts and the Colts should face immediate expulsion from the league for wasting everybody's time. Basically, the Colts clowns want to create a 9-point play. I guess that they want to make comebacks a little bit easier for Andrew Luck. He doesn't need the help. The extra-extra point field goal would be from 50 yards so there is some degree of difficulty in completing the 9-point play. #23 is a direct result of the confusion that the New England Patriots inflicted upon the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs. The Patriots used eligible players in ineligible positions to confuse defenses during the playoffs. It has always been the responsibility of defenses to diagnose the intentions of the offense based on situation and formation. It's basic football strategy. Defenses try to disguise their coverage. Offenses try to disguise their intentions. Now some teams (Ravens) want the officials/rules to help them. It's actually kind of sad. Bylaw Proposal #1 simply means that teams will reduce their rosters from 90 to 53 in one clean chop. There would no longer be the intermediate cut down to 75. That means that 1,184 players will suddenly no longer be part of  NFL teams. Well, I guess that it gives 480 players a few more days in the league.

The meetings are scheduled to run from March 22-25.

Free Agency Musings

It's funny that fans would rather see their team involved in reckless action rather than being patience in free agency. No matter how often it's proven that championships are never won in March. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were applauded and their fans were ecstatic about this time last year. In the first week of Free Agency 2014, they spent a bunch on defensive end Michael Johnson, tackle Anthony Collins, quarterback Josh McCown, cornerback Alterraun Verner, center Evan Dietrich-Smith, defensive tackle Clinton McDonald, and several others. Johnson, Collins, and McCown were released a year later. Impressive impact.

Johnson returned to his original team, the Cincinnati Bengals, this weekend. So, the Bengals will likely receive a 3rd-round Compensatory Pick in the upcoming draft for a player that is now on their roster. There's something very wrong with that. Also, Johnson will be paid by both the Buccaneers and the Bengals this season. Nice.

After signing a pay scale-wrecking contract with the Miami Dolphins Ndamukong Suh said that he never wanted to leave Detroit. Really? During the season he said that his agent would decide where he played. That's a pretty good indication that his new home would depend entirely on money. He signed a six year, $114 million contract with $60 million guaranteed with the Dolphins. The Lions offered six years, $102 million with $58 million guaranteed. Florida has no state income tax. Michigan has 4.25% income tax. With numbers that size there's really very little difference. If Suh really wanted to stay in Detroit those numbers from the Lions would have worked. At least, that's the feeling here.

If Suh is going to get a salary close to that of the top quarterbacks in the game he had better be the best defensive player in the game. And the best by a lot. He isn't. J.J. Watt is the best defensive player. Suh has the talent to be as dominant as Watt but in his five years he hasn't been. Not even close. Not only is Suh behind Watt he might also be behind Justin Houston, Darrelle  Revis, Earl Thomas, Luke Keuchley, Richard Sherman, and Muhammad Wilkerson in sustained defensive excellence. Suh hasn't even been the most consistent defensive tackle in the league. Gerald McCoy. Even rookie Aaron Donald made more impact plays last year. Suh hasn't even been the best defensive player on the Lions over the past couple of seasons. DeAndre Levy. Suh was in the last draft that brought insane rookie contracts. He's been paid well and he's going to be paid even better. He does have the talent to perform to that contract. He just has to finally do so.

Chip Kelly has lost his mind. I actually like the trade for Sam Bradford. If, and it's a big "if," he can stay healthy. I also like the acquisition of Kiko Alonso even if it cost LeSean McCoy. I don't understand his running back decisions after clearing the position in the name of cutting salary. He traded McCoy, agreed to terms with Frank Gore, lot Gore, agreed to terms with Ryan Matthews, signed DeMarco Murray to a big contract, still signed Matthews to a modest contract. Kelly said that finances forced the trade of McCoy. He said that the savings made it possible to add Alonso, cornerback Byron Maxwell, Matthews, and Murray. In no world that I know does the $10 million, or so, saved from moving McCoy equal the nearly $25 million that Kelly added. He says now that he wanted to add two of the top three backs in free agency and Gore, Murray, and Matthews were his top three. If Kelly truly wanted two of those backs it wouldn't have taken Murray calling him to spark a contract dialogue. Chip Kelly is making things up as he goes. It feels like the foolish, random signings that the Eagles made in 2011.

Rex Ryan might want to stop poking the New England Patriots. When he was hired by the New York Jets a few years ago he started poking at the team that ruled the AFC East. I suppose that bravado was refreshing even humorous then. But he failed to live up to the boasts as the Jets gradually fell apart. Now, as the Buffalo Bills coach, Ryan is claiming that the gap between the Patriots and the rest of the division is closing. Maybe it has but he should wait until he can prove this on the field.

Speaking of Ryan's Bills. They have been bold in free agency. There aren't too many teams that can boast a play-making trio the likes of LeSean McCoy, Sammy Watkins, and Percy Harvin. Even with Matt Cassel at quarterback. The Bills defense is terrific and should only get better with Ryan at the helm.

Speaking of Ryan. His mind is on the Bills now but it must be hard for him to miss what the Jets have done in free agency. He needs cornerbacks for his defense to perform at it's peak. Then Jets General Manager John Idzik provided him a sad group last year. Fast forward to now and the Jets have a brand new, familiar secondary. The Jets have added corners Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine as well as safety Marcus Gilchrist. I feel like Ryan could have worked with current Jets GM Mike Maccagnan.

The New Orleans Saints are obviously in the middle of an overhaul. Trading Jimmy Graham is the only proof needed for that. But they aren't packing up their tents. They cleaned out the offense and the defense. They still have playmakers like Mark Ingram and Brandin Cooks. They still have Drew Brees. They added CJ Spiller. They now have five picks in the first three rounds of the draft. They seem to be looking forward while remaining competitive and as long as Brees is under center they will be competitive. But their salary cap is an absolute disaster. Stocking up on early-round draft picks is a good way of changing that. Trading promising, low-salaried Kenny Stills for an over-priced Dannell Ellerbe isn't a good way of changing that. Neither is adding Spiller and Brandon Browner.

The Seattle Seahawks now have Jimmy Graham. That's not good for the rest of the league. As soon as the trade was announced I couldn't help but recall the pregame near-rumble of a couple of years ago between Graham and pretty much the entire Seahawks defense. I'll bet that they made amends immediately.

They had a ton of money to spend in free agency so they had an advantage but I like the additions made by the Jacksonville Jaguars:

Julius Thomas, TE
Jared Odrick, DT
Jermey Parnell, T
Davon House, CB
Dan Skuta, LB
Sergio Brown, S

That's six new starters. I particularly like the additions of Odrick and House.

If the Dallas Cowboys could scrape up the money to sign defensive ends Greg Hardy I'm surprised that they couldn't do the same for running back DeMarco Murray. I guess that the decision-makers decided that the money was better spent on a pass rusher than a runner. A lot of people would agree with that. With a possible suspension looming the Cowboys were wise to make Hardy's pay dependent on his presence for the games.

The Minnesota Vikings haven't done much in free agency outside of signing their own free agency. Something can be said for that strategy. Just look at the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings did make a splashy transaction. They traded a fifth-round pick for Miami Dolphins speedster Mike Wallace and a seventh-round pick. The trade didn't cost much but Wallace's contract will. That cost forced the Vikings to release receiver Greg Jennings. I would have preferred that the Vikings kept both veteran pass catchers but $20 million for two veteran receivers was deemed too much. Wallace is nearly four years younger than Jennings and much faster. His addition also makes the Vikings receiver group more versatile. Jarius Wright can step in for Jennings in the slot. And Wallace gives the Vikings their best deep threat since Randy Moss.

The flood of signings has slowed to a trickle but there are some talented players looking for work. The budget bin signings often make more of an impact than the high-priced talent.

Throwback Thursday: Mel Hein's All-Time NFL Team

As a center and linebacker for the New York Giants from 1931-45 Mel Hein was one of the greatest player's in NFL history. He was the NFL MVP in 1938. As a center and linebacker! That's inconceivable. It would be impossible in today's NFL. In 1969, for Bob Curren's book Pro Football's Rag Days, Hein was asked to name his own All-Star team. A team that played offense and defense. He left himself off of the team. This was a humble and major concession.

Mel Hein's All-Time NFL Team:

Center: Bulldog Turner
Guard: Danny Fortman
Guard: Mike Michalske
Tackle: Turk Edwards
Tackle: Cal Hubbard
End: Don Hutson
End: Bill Hewitt
Quarterback: Sammy Baugh
Halfback: Dutch Clark
Halfback: Cliff Battles
Fullback: Bronco Nagurski

All of the players are from Hein's time as a player. Only Baugh played into the 1950s. Considering the time frame it's not surprising that the team is made up of mostly players from the Chicago Bears (Turner, Fortman, Hewitt, and Nagurski), Green Bay Packers (Michalske, Hubbard, Hutson), and Washington Redskins (Edwards, Baugh, and Battles). Those three teams and Hein's Giants were the dominant teams throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s. The Detroit Lions, led by Dutch Clark, were the NFL Champs in 1935. The only team other than the Packers, Bears, Redskins, or Giants to win a title from 1931-44.

I've always found the opinions of the men that actually played the game to be the most interesting. Especially those from an era of football long before me.

Another Mock

Here's a post-Week 1 of Free Agency Mock Draft:

1.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St.
2.   Tennessee Titans-Leonard Williams, DT, USC
3.   Jacksonville Jaguars-Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida
4.   Oakland Raiders-Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
5.   Washington Redskins-Randy Gregory, LB/DE, Nebraska
6.   New York Jets-Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
7.   Chicago Bears-Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
8.   Atlanta Falcons-Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
9.   New York Giants-Vic Beasley, LB/DE, Clemson
10. St. Louis Rams-D.J. Humphries, T, Florida
11. Minnesota Vikings-Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan St.
12. Cleveland Browns-Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
13. New Orleans Saints-Brandon Scherff, T, Iowa
14. Miami Dolphins-DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
15. San Francisco 49ers-Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
16. Houston Texans-Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
17. San Diego Chargers-Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
18. Kansas City Chiefs-Landon Collins, S, Alabama
19. Cleveland Browns-Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky
20. Philadelphia Eagles-Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
21. Cincinnati Bengals-T.J. Clemmings, T, Pittsburgh
22. Pittsburgh Steelers-Eli Harold, LB, Virginia
23. Detroit Lions-Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
24. Arizona Cardinals-Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
25. Carolina Panthers-Andrus Peat, T, Stanford
26. Baltimore Ravens-Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona St.
27. Dallas Cowboys-Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas
28. Denver Broncos-Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
29. Indianapolis Colts-Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
30. Green Bay Packers-La'el Collins, T, LSU
31. New Orleans Saints-Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi St.
32. New England Patriots-Carl Davis, DT, Iowa

For now.

Smith Again

NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith will remain as NFLPA Executive Director. Smith was re-elected for the third time at the Players Association's meetings in Maui on Sunday. Nice location. On the wave of the 2011 CBA negotiations, Smith was re-elected unanimously in 2012. He faced a greater challenge this time as he had to defeat eight opponents. The heavy field was seen by some as an indictment of his work as a thorn in the side of the NFL Commissioner. Instead it might have worked in his favor. Eight opponents diluted the field and may have canceled each other out. Smith easily won for the third time on the first vote.

His opponents ranged from former players:

Sean Gilbert
Robert Griffith
Jason Belser

an agent:
Robert London

attorneys:
James Acho
Andrew Smith

staff counsel for NFLPA:
Art McAfee

even a former Vice Admiral:
Jim Stufflebeam

Gilbert was perhaps the most vocal. He wants to re-open the CBA negotiations based on a collusion claim. He's also in favor of an 18-game schedule. That's surprising as a former player and it probably ended his candidacy for Executive Director of the NFLPA. If he chooses to run again in 2018, Belser might prove to be a significant threat to Smith. He's a former player and is very much liked by the current players. He's the NFLPA's senior director of player affairs and development. His time might be the next time.

For now, DeMaurice Smith remains the NFLPA's Executive Director and irritant to the Commissioner.

The Case For Paul Tagliabue

Until Paul Tagliabue, everyone with an extended run as leader of the NFL has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That kicks out the brief runs of Jim Thorpe and Elmer Layden. Well, Thorpe is in the Hall of Fame but not for his one-year run as President, in name only, of the American Professional Football Association. Joe Carr and Bert Bell were part of the 17-member inaugural class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Pete Rozelle was inducted in 1985 while he was still in the commissioner's office. That's some serious love. Tagliabue hasn't received anything close to that sort of love. One might even go so far as to say that he's received no love at all. His 1989-2006 run as commissioner of the NFL is taken for granted. It's really a damn shame.

With the often chilly, if not completely frozen, relationship between Roger Goodell and the NFLPA, Tagliabue's 17-year run of labor peace should never be taken for granted. It should be applauded. It should be copied. Some might have seen Tagliabue's relationship with NFLPA boss Gene Upshaw as too chummy. If that relationship kept the games going how's that a criticism? There were two ridiculous work stoppages in the 1980s. There were bound to be more but Tagliabue didn't let it happen. He ushered in free agency. That alone made the players ecstatic. That brought about labor peace that lasted until Roger Goodell killed nearly all of the player's trust in the office. One could say that free agency was bound to happen and Tagliabue was simply there when it did. Who knows? Rozelle's reign touched the days when the players really had no say in their careers. Movement away from that might have been stuttering at best if Rozelle hadn't stepped away. The only thing that's certain is that four years after Tagliabue was elected by the owners free agency was a reality. But, Tagliabue did a whole lot more than being the caretaker of a league that was suddenly peaceful.

Before he was commissioner, Paul Tagliabue saw steady work representing the NFL in anti-trust litigation. The NFL made steady appearances in court for more than a decade. All those lawsuits got Tagliabue noticed by the owners. How could it not? They were writing huge checks for legal fees. The most significant suit was the one brought by the United States Football League. The rival league was asking for $1.6 billion. The NFL lost. The USFL was awarded 3 bucks. The USFL won but actually lost. The pesky league were no more. Tagliabue lost but actually won. The USFL was gone in 1986. Tagliabue was the NFL Commissioner three years later.

That's not all.

The relationship between the NCAA and professional football had soured in the 1990s. Colleges were being raided of their undergraduate football players. It had gotten to the point where NFL scouts were no longer allowed on college campuses. Tagliabue took steps to change that. He instituted the "eligibility rule." Players now had to be three years removed from their high school graduation to be eligible for the NFL Draft. This eased the strain between the NFL and the NCAA. Tagliabue pushed for the creation of the NFL's College Football Advisory Committee in 1993. This committee would review and advise college football players interested in pursuing early entry into the NFL Draft. The NFL was now encouraging most college football players to stay in school. NFL scouts were now allowed to return to college campuses. Upon his retirement, the American Football Coaches Association awarded Tagliabue with the Tuss McLaughry Award for long and distinguished service to college football.

As NFL Commissioner, Paul Taglaibue improved the relationship between the league and the players. He improved the relationship between the league and college football. Those are pretty significant accomplishments. Those are the sort of accomplishments that shouldn't be taken for granted. They improved the league's image. The improved the brand. They improved and protected the all important shield. Tagliabue deserves to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He deserved the honor well before now. Maybe competition in the voting process with players and coaches kept him out. Who knows? Maybe the new Contributor category in the Hall voting process will finally give him a shot at his deserved recognition in Canton. If nothing else, his run as Commissioner of the NFL should never be taking for granted.

Retiring Players

During a week of free agency and stunning trades it's easy to dismiss or miss entirely the decisions of several NFL players to end their careers. San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, Oakland Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds, Miami Dolphins cornerback Cortland Finnegan, and Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker retired from the game that they has dominated most of their lives. The good thing is that all walked away on their own terms. Recent injuries probably played a role in the decisions of Willis and Jones-Drew but both still surprised the football world. Many players have to be hauled away from the football field. Usually age and diminishing skills make the tough decision for the players. Father time is undefeated, or so they say. Age wasn't much of a factor for these players. Finnegan is the oldest of the group at 31. Locker is the youngest at 26. Worilds is only a couple of months older than him. This is probably the largest and youngest group of NFL players to retire at the same time. Certainly the largest and youngest that I can recall.

I really don't see how anyone can criticize when or how a football player retires but some sure do. This is a very personal and often very difficult decision. No one has the right to decree that any of these now former football players were fools to walk away from the money and fame of the NFL. As a highly-sought free agent, Worilds was likely on the verge of a huge payday. Because of that many talking heads criticized his decision. Worilds decided that his religion was more important and he has the right to it. Good for him. It's his decision. No one is in a place to say that he made a mistake. These early decisions to retire might become more common. Players will decide that they, literally, want to walk away from the game. The recently improved knowledge of the hazards of the game are going to weigh more and more on the players that play it. Many may decide that they want to be able to remember their playing days when they are long removed from them. Even if that means that they will have fewer years to remember.

All of this means that we, as fans, have to appreciate more the years that we have with these incredible football players. That is especially true with a player like Patrick Willis. I just wish that he could have ended his career with a season more like his previous seven. He was one of the best at what he did that I've ever seen. Simply a great, great football player. He wasn't as flashy as Lawrence Taylor. He wasn't as easy to notice as Ray Lewis. He was a lot like I remember Jack Ham to be. A linebacker that simply and completely did everything right. Like Ham, Willis was always around the ball. He played the run as well as the pass. I'll always remember the way that Patrick Willis played football. I'll miss it too.

I thank and congratulate these retiring football players. Even Jake Locker provided us with some thrilling moments in his brief career. Hell, I wanted the Minnesota Vikings to draft him in 2011.

Taking The Plunge

The Minnesota Vikings dipped their foot in the free agency pool on Tuesday when they signed quarterback Shaun Hill to backup Teddy Bridgewater. That transaction was barely a blip during a chaotic opening day of the annual spending spree. The Vikings lack of action during the first few days frustrated the fan base but it really shouldn't have come as a surprise. General Manager Rick Spielman said that the team would be "waiting in the weeds." He added that they might turn active if something "unique" came along. Well, something "unique" did come along yesterday and the Minnesota Vikings took the plunge into the deep end of the free agency pool.

Spielman started his Friday in Columbus, Ohio doing some draft preparation work at the Ohio State Pro Day. That's when he heard that the Miami Dolphins were shopping receiver Mike Wallace. After acquiring receiver Kenny Stills from the New Orleans Saints earlier in the day the Dolphins decided that it was time to unload the mercurial and sometimes annoying Wallace. Not to mention that he hadn't quite lived up to that big free agent contract of 2013. A contract that the Vikings played a significant role in elevating. Spielman wanted Wallace in 2013. He still wanted him in 2015. Working the phone from Columbus, the airport, and the plane, Spielman was able to work out a trade with the Dolphins. He finally had Mike Wallace. The Vikings traded a fifth-round pick in the upcoming draft for Wallace and a seventh-round pick. That's a pretty slight cost for a difference-making receiver. His contract, that contract that the Vikings played a role in elevating, is a whole other story. Getting that contract off of the books was a big part of the trade for the Dolphins. They had already paid him a lot and are on the hook for a little more. They didn't want to pay him any more. Now the Vikings will. They assume salary cap figures of $9.85 million this year, 11.45 in 2016, and 11.45 in 2017. Pretty steep but Wallace adds something that the Vikings offense didn't have before. A serious deep threat. As the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer had to defend against Wallace twice a year from 2009-12. Wallace was with the Steelers then and he was becoming one of the most dangerous deep threats in the league. It wasn't fun to defend against him. Speed changes games. Zimmer knew that then and welcomes it to his team now. Wallace surpassed 1,000 yards in 2010 and 2011. The Vikings have had only two 1,000-yard receivers since 2004. None since 2009. Wallace averages nearly 8 TDs per year. He had an underwhelming two years in Miami but still managed 930 yards in 2013 and 862 yards in 2014. He had 10 TDs last year. Those numbers would have easily paced the Vikings. The #1 receiver label is a manufactured one. Most accept it but few define it the same. Whatever the definition, nearly everyone says that the Vikings have been lacking a #1 receiver. At his best, many consider Wallace a #1 receiver. If nothing else, Wallace's addition gives the Vikings a deep and diverse receiver group:

Mike Wallace
Charles Johnson
Greg Jennings
Cordarrelle Patterson
Jarius Wright
Adam Thielen

You want to surround a quarterback with weapons. Especially a young and rapidly emerging quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater. Wallace is the deep threat but he can do much more than that. Johnson burst on the scene last year after bouncing around the practice squads and injured lists of the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns. Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner called Johnson the team's best receiver by the end of the year. He gets open, wide open, a lot. His route running is terrific. The Vikings lucked into a gem in Johnson. Jennings is still an exceptional receiver. Like Johnson, he simply gets open, Moves the chaiins. Scores touchdowns. With his contract, everyone expects much bigger numbers from Jennings but much of his value is in his presence. Patterson is the wild card. He has the natural talent to be one of the most explosive football players in the league. His 2014 season was a complete miss. His training this offseason and his performance this coming season are critical to his future with the team. Wright simply makes plays. When a player like Wright is a team's fourth or fifth receiver you have a deep receiver group. With Jennings over 30 and Wallace turning 29 this August, the Vikings future receiving group probably starts with Johnson, Patterson, and Wright. That's not a bad place to start if Patterson becomes the player that he has the potential to be. Until then they still Wallace and Jennings impacting defenses. Thielen is a tremendous special teams player. He also provided some clutch catches last season. His presence my make the Vikings decision-makers seriously consider keeping six receivers on the game day roster, let alone the 53-man roster.

The sole drawback to Wallace's addition is his contract. The Vikings now have just over $20 million invested in Wallace and Jennings. Something needs to done about that. It's been rumored for a while that Jennings might need to restructure his contract. That's more likely now. Wallace's contract might need some noodling as well. He wasn't willing to do so in Miami which is one of the reasons that he's in Minnesota now. Currently, the Vikings have just under $10 million in cap space. They probably need more because they weren't through splashing around the pool on Friday.

Spielman had to get back to Minnesota yesterday because they were recruiting free agent defensive end Michael Johnson. As with Wallace, Johnson wasn't available when free agency opened on Tuesday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released him on Wednesday and the Vikings had him on a plane to Minnesota on Thursday. This was another of those "unique" situations that Spielman mentioned. Also like Wallace, Johnson was a Vikings target in free agency. Wallace in 2013. Johnson in 2014. They missed on both then with a chance to add both now. Zimmer had coached Johnson from 2009-13 with the Bengals. They had formed a very close relationship. Zimmer hoped that he would bring Johnson with him to Minnesota last year. The Buccaneers won the bidding war. After an injury-riddled 2014 season the Buccaneers released Johnson and the Vikings immediately scheduled a visit. So did the Bengals. The Vikings got him first. Apparently, Johnson had every intention of returning to Cincinnati to continue his NFL career as a Bengals player. His visit to Minnesota was more out of respect for Zimmer than a true interest in playing for the Vikings. It sounds like that has changed. He enjoyed his visit, He was impressed with the Vikings organization. They made him an offer. When asked if the offer was lucrative, he responded "oh yeah." So, there's that. There's also Zimmer. That could be enough to pull Johnson to Minnesota. Michael Johnson sounds likely a truly sincere man. Loyalty is of great importance to him. When he was released by the Buccaneers his decision on his future was clear. He would return to Cincinnati, to his former teammates, his friends. There really was no decision. Zimmer changed all of that. Johnson would love to play for Zimmer again. Zimmer and the Vikings have made it a decision for Johnson. A very tough decision. Johnson has said that some tears will be shed when makes that decision. He also said that he will decide by Monday, at the latest.

If the Vikings land Johnson, Wallace and Johnson will be two tremendous additions. Two difference making additions. The offense changes greatly. The defense changes greatly. After a handful of days of doing very little (no offense Shaun Hill) the Vikings truly took the plunge.

Update: Well, this changes things. The Vikings released Greg Jennings. That helps their salary cap issues and changes the diversity of the receiver group.