Another 10 Things

Here are another 10 Football Things that have been on my mind during this short down time of the NFL calendar.

1. Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones recently said that Johnny Manziel should be playing in the NFL. That seems like a strange thing to say seeing as Manziel isn't currently playing for the Tiger-Cats.

2. Peyton Manning said that he doesn't mind if Drew Brees breaks his passing records. Why do reporters ask questions like this? How's Manning supposed to answer that? With quarterbacks throwing more each season, career passing records are going to change hands at an increasing rate. Fran Tarkenton held them for about 20 years before Dan Marino blew past them, then Brett Favre blew past Marino, then Manning passed Favre, and soon Brees will pass Manning. Is Aaron Rodgers next? Then Matthew Stafford? Are reporters going to pester each with the same stupid question?

3. The NFL lost referees Ed Hochuli, Gene Steratore, Jeff Triplette, and Terry McAuley to retirement this offseason. Hochuli was the only one to leave for purely retirement reasons. The other three left for TV money. Getting Triplette off the field probably makes the total referee losses worth it. He was an officiating disaster. So much of a disaster that it's stunning that ESPN hired him as a rules analyst.

4. Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter is 23 years old.

5. Cal had seven football commits at this time last year. They have 14 this year. I'm not sure if that means anything at all.

6. NFL Network concluded their Top 100 Players of 2018. Here's how that list broke down by team.

7: Vikings, Rams
6: Jaguars, Packers, Saints, Steelers
5: Chargers, Eagles, Seahawks
4: Cowboys, Texans, Titans
3: Broncos, Cardinals, Chiefs, Falcons, Panthers, Raiders
2: 49ers, Bengals, Bills, Browns, Giants, Lions, Patriots
1: Dolphins, Ravens, Redskins
0: Colts, Bears, Buccaneers, Jets

The Packers with 6 players, the Patriots with only 2, and the Buccaneers with 0 are the three things that stand out the most. The Packers have a talented team. Their 2017 record (7-9) didn't show it because Aaron Rodgers missed most of the season. The Patriots made the Super Bowl with only two players on the Top 100 list. Their "do your job" motto, coaching, and a certain quarterback annually makes up for any talent deficit. Brandin Cooks and Devin McCourty could've made the list. It's hard to believe that Buccaneers defenders Gerald McCoy, Lavonte David, and Kwon Alexander didn't garner enough votes to crack the Top 100.

7. This year's Supplemental Draft, to be held July 11, could be interesting. It's dominated by defensive backs.

Brandon Bryant, DB, Mississippi State
Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan
Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech
Bright Ugwoegbu, LB, Oregon State

Only three players have been selected in the Supplemental Draft this decade. Terrelle Pryor (2011), Josh Gordon (2012), and Isaiah Battle (2015). Each of the defensive backs held well-attended pro days and it wouldn't be a surprise if each gets drafted. A solid final college season probably would've put Beal and Alexander among the top CB prospects in the 2019 NFL Draft.

8. Speaking of defensive backs. I sure wish that the Vikings would sign their first round draft pick, CB Mike Hughes, soon. Seven of the team's eight picks were signed before the draft was a week old. Two months later and Hughes is still unsigned. I doubt that there's even a hint of a chance that he's a training camp holdout. I just don't like this unfinished business sitting out there.

9. The NFL's suspension schedule remains a mystery. Jameis Winston gets a three-game suspense when the personal conduct policy clearly calls for 6 games.

10. Joe Delaney.