Flea Flicker: August 2019

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Final Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection

The 2019 NFL Preseason is done. Today is the sad day of final cuts. The one good thing about the final cuts is that it's the end of these damn 53-man roster projections. And here's my final roster projection. It's a lot like the last one.

Offense (25 players)

Quarterbacks (3)
8 Kirk Cousins
4 Sean Mannion
1 Kyle Sloter

Running Backs (4)
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
23 Mike Boone
31 Ameer Abdullah

Fullback (1)
30 C.J. Ham

Wide Receivers (5)
14 Stefon Diggs
19 Adam Thielen
12 Chad Beebe
81 Olabisi Johnson
15 Brandon Zylstra

Tight Ends (3)
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin

PUP: 89 David Morgan

Offensive Line (9)
71 Riley Reiff
65 Pat Elflein
56 Garrett Bradbury
64 Josh Kline
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
73 Dru Samia
61 Brett Jones
74 Olisaemeka Udoh

Defense (25 Players)

Defensive Line (10)
97 Everson Griffen
93 Shamar Stephen
98 Linval Joseph
99 Danielle Hunter
91 Stephen Weatherly
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
94 Jaleel Johnson
92 Jalyn Holmes
51 Hercules Mata'afa
96 Armon Watts

Linebackers (6)
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
42 Ben Gedeon
50 Eric Wilson
57 Devante Downs
59 Cameron Smith

Cornerbacks (5)
29 Xavier Rhodes
26 Trae Waynes
20 Mackensie Alexander
21 Mike Hughes
38 Kris Boyd

Suspended: 24 Holton Hill

Safeties (4)
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris
27 Jayron Kearse
39 Marcus Epps

Special Teams (3 Players)

Kicker
5 Dan Bailey

Punter
7 Kaare Vedvik

Long snapper

58 Austin Cutting

Friday, August 30, 2019

Luck's Decision

When I first saw Andrew Luck take the field for Stanford in 2009 I couldn't wait for him to leave for the NFL. I went to Cal. I don't need a quarterback like Luck playing for Stanford. I also loved watching him play football. Even if he was taking apart Cal in the process. It was painful and fun at the same time. Cal beat Stanford during Luck's freshman season. Stanford won in 2010 and 2011. Cal hasn't a won a Big Game since that 2009 win. Since that freshman year at Stanford, Andrew Luck has been one of my favorite quarterbacks to watch, one of my favorite football players to watch, and one of the most interesting personalities to ever play in the NFL. Football is just better with Andrew Luck in it. So, it was disappointing to see him announce on Saturday that he was leaving the game. I already miss him. But I'm also very happy for him. He was done with the game. If he's done with the game he shouldn't have to play the game. Is it really any surprise? The game has taken a toll.

Physical toll through 6 NFL seasons:
-torn cartilage in two ribs
-partially torn abdomen
-a lacerated kidney
-at least one concussion
-a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder
-current calf/ankle injury

Head to foot. It was an all-body thing.

In his NFL career, Luck has spent more pain-filled days than pain-free days. It had become a never-ending cycle and he'd finally had enough. He was no longer having fun playing football. He left football on his terms. In a cut-throat NFL, that doesn't happen often.

Not being able to see Luck play football again is disappointing. What isn't disappointing is that Luck is in a better place because he's stepped away from football. And that's all that really matters.

The negative reaction to Luck's decision has been ridiculous. Fortunately, these clowns are in the minority. It's his decision. No one knows what he's been through. No one knows what he's going through now. I wonder how many of the fans that booed Luck regret doing so now. All of them should. Luck's last moments in front of the Colts fans is filled with boos. There's a lasting memory. Thanks for the good times. Then there's the talking heads that have criticized his decision. How is it any of their business? Luck is making a significant life decision. His life decision. No one has a right to criticize his life decision. When I saw the clowns criticizing Luck I couldn't help but think about the sore college football fans that go after high school kids for committing to the "wrong" college. Seriously? What's wrong with these people? I'm going to miss seeing Andrew Luck play football but it's his decision.

Mike Reid played defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1970-74. After an All-Pro season, two Pro Bowls, and five productive seasons, he retired. He had a music career to consider. He'd probably seen enough former players with fingers pointing at outrageous angles to continue mixing it up in football trenches. After hearing the boos that followed Luck off the Indianapolis turf for the last time, Reid posted this on facebook.

Friends-put this down in response to Andrew Luck being booed at the announcement of his retirement.

I have broken myself
for you, for me, for this,
agreed to offer this body in covenant
animating your barren landscape,
giving you the reason to imagine yourself
a man complete while I, the hired conqueror
did battle in some pantomime of authentic struggle
doing for you what you could not do for yourself.

Ah, the swagger of the imagined soldier,
the man who talks of killing but never does
thickens the air with a demand for victory,
the victory you needed me to provide,
the one your life has denied you.

"I pay you well," you're right to declare
and to me that's more than a fair thing
to say to yourself and the world
but what price, tell me, what might I gain
in trading my soul for your praise of my name?

Since all past glories dissolve in their time,
I'm left now in mansions of memory's decline
shuffling down hallways like shadows that move
from darkened room to darkened room
in search of one fading moment of recognition.

I have broken myself for this, for you, for me.
It asked nothing less than my whole heart
and I am in mourning having none left to give.

But now, now you show your whole self to me
and I am broken again but deeper still.

All glory is fleeting, yes, but so quickly?
I wonder now, what was it I thought I was to you.

I wonder now, what should I have expected in return?

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Throwback Thursday: Cal's 1920 Wonder Team

The University of California Golden Bears have a modest college football history. There have been some good teams and a few very good teams. There have been many not so good teams. There have been some terrible teams. From 1920-24, Cal was much, much better than very good. They were the first great football team on the west coast. Under head coach Andy Smith, Cal's "Wonder Teams" went undefeated, running up a record of 44 wins, 0 losses, and 4 ties. The 1920-22 teams were retroactively recognized as National Champions by all of the organizations that did such things. In 1960, the Helms Athletic Foundation chose the 1920 California Golden Bears as the greatest college football team in history.

1920 California Wonder Team

Schedule
Olympic A.C. W 21-0
Mare Island Marines W 88-0
St. Mary's W 127-0
Nevada W 79-7
Utah W 63-0
Oregon Agricultural W 17-7
Washington State W 49-0
Stanford W 38-0

Rose Bowl:
Ohio State W 28-0

Record: 9-0
Points Scored: 510
Points Against: 14

After three shutouts to start the season, Andy Smith was so upset with his defense for allowing a touchdown to Nevada, in a 79-7 win, that he doubled up on defensive drills in practice. The Bears responded by taking apart Utah 63-0.

Andy Smith and the Wonder Teams built Memorial Stadium. The beautiful stadium opened with Cal's 9-0 win over Stanford in the 1923 Big Game. The win was the fifth straight against Stanford and secured Cal's fourth straight undefeated season. Go Bears!

Starters on Cal's 1920 Wonder Team:

Brick Muller
Bob Berkey
Duke Morrison
Charlie Erb
Pesky Sprott
Crip Toomey
Dan McMillan
Stan Barnes
Lee Cramer
Fat Latham
Cort Majors

Brick, Pesky, Crip, and Fat. You don't see names like that these days.

The 2019 version of the California Golden Bears host the Fightin' Aggies of UC Davis on Saturday.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Minnesota Vikings Receivers And Defensive Ends

Whether intentional or not the Minnesota Vikings have taken an unusual path to stocking their receiver and defensive end positions. These are two of the most important positions in today's NFL. The league's best defensive ends are typically selected during the first two days of the draft. Productive receivers can be found throughout the draft but teams usually have a top pick or two or more on their roster. The Vikings have a single first round pick among their receivers and defensive ends and he's considered a long-shot to make the team. In fact, most fans and many in the media are surprised that Laquon Treadwell is still on the roster. Here are the mostly modest beginnings of the Vikings receivers and defensive ends.

Receivers

Stefon Diggs: 5th round pick
Adam Thielen: UDFA
Chad Beebe: UDFA
Laquon Treadwell: 1st round pick
Jordan Taylor: UDFA
Olabisi Johnson: 7th round pick
Brandon Zylstra:UDFA
Dillon Mitchell: 7th round pick
Jeff Badet: UDFA
Davion Davis: UDFA
Alexander Hollins: UDFA

Defensive Ends

Everson Griffen: 4th round pick
Danielle Hunter: 3rd round pick
Stephen Weatherly: 7th round pick
Ifeadi Odenigbo: 7th round pick
Ade Aruna: 6th round pick
Tashawn Bower: UDFA
Karter Schult: UDFA
Stacy Keely: UDFA
Anree Saint-Amour: UDFA

20 combined players
1 first round pick
1 third round pick
1 fourth round pick
1 fifth round pick
1 sixth round pick
4 seventh round picks
11 undrafted free agents

I don't think that stocking these two critical positions with late-round picks and undrafted free agents was the plan of general manager Rick Speilman, head coach Mike Zimmer, and the rest of the Vikings' decision-makers. I think that they lucked into a good situation and went with it. One can say that it was terrific drafting and scouting. One can say that they turned over a lot of remote rocks and discovered gems that other teams missed. Drafting Treadwell is a drafting blemish that's tough to hide. I hate to call any player a bust but his production is "bust" level. One thing that might've hurt Treadwell was that he came to the team at the same time that two of the team's "luckiest" scouting and drafting gems started to shine. If Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen hadn't turned into such damn fine receivers maybe Treadwell gets more of an opportunity. Diggs was productive as soon as he stepped on the field for the Vikings. He did so well so fast that it was a mystery as to why it took a few games for him to get into one. Diggs was drafted in the fifth round despite having first round talent. He showed that talent at Maryland but was injured often enough that he had draft day questions. Sometimes teams have to look more at the nature of the injuries than just the fact that a player had them. Diggs missed games to a broken leg and a lacerated kidney. Those aren't the type of injuries that saddle a player with the "injury-prone" label. If teams passed on Diggs because of those injuries the Vikings benefited greatly from it. Thielen's story is different and everyone knows it by now. In short, the Vikings found an overlooked gem in their own backyard but his place in the NFL is more on him. He persisted and took advantage of every opportunity. Diggs and Thielen are so productive that the remaining receivers on the team are something of an afterthought. Those two allowed the team to stock the position with late-round picks and are now tasked with developing them. And possibly finding another Thielen.

As a defensive-minded head coach, Mike Zimmer prioritizes talent at defensive end. When he was hired in 2014, he inherited a solid defensive end situation with Everson Griffen and Brian Robison. The Vikings' 2015 Draft Class was a good one. A couple highlights of that draft were Diggs in the fifth round and defensive end Danielle Hunter in the third. If players were drafted solely for their production in college, Hunter might've gone undrafted. If players were drafted solely for their athletic potential, Hunter might've gone in the first round. The Vikings split the difference and selected him in the third. If he continues to play at this current pace, Hunter could join franchise defensive end legends Carl Eller and Chris Doleman in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For three years the defensive end depth chart was topped by Griffen, Robison, and Hunter. That's a stout group. This allowed the team's decision-makers to supplement the position with players in Zimmer's image for a defensive end, long and freakishly athletic. Players like Stephen Weatherly, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Tashawn Bower, and Ade Aruna. Since they were raw, the Vikings were able to find them late in the draft and after the draft. They didn't have to play right away so they had time to learn and develop. It's appeared to have worked for Weatherly as he played well when he was needed last year. Odenigbo has finally looked the part this training camp and preseason. Bower has shown potential but is injured now. Aruna is also dealing with an injury. His freakish athletic ability might be the closest to that of Hunter's.

It's a little funny (funny might not be the best word for it) that the one player of these two position groups that was a high end draft pick has been the biggest disappointment. But, I think that's the point. The Vikings found or "lucked" into talent at these two critical positions so they weren't forced to find players in the first round. In today's NFL, teams must have talent at receiver and defensive end. Diggs and Thielen were on the roster when the Vikings selected Treadwell. They had a pretty good idea by then that Diggs was going to be, at worst, pretty good. They still didn't know that Thielen would be anything more than a terrific special teams player. They would know it by the end of the 2016 season but they didn't know it when they selected Treadwell with the 23rd pick of the first round. If they had known what they'd have in Diggs and Thielen, maybe they pick Mississippi State defensive tackle Chris Jones with that pick. Imagine Jones on a line with Linval Joseph, Griffen, and Hunter. That's dreamy. This is about what did happen. And the Vikings stocked two of the most important positions on a football team with later-round and undrafted talent.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Monday, August 26, 2019

Post-Preseason Game 3 Minnesota Vikings Roster Projection

I'm glad that these roster trimming decisions aren't mine.

Offense (25 players)

Quarterbacks
8 Kirk Cousins
4 Sean Mannion
1 Kyle Sloter

While this is how I think that it will shake out, I wouldn't be disappointed, or surprised actually, if Kyle Sloter is the only quarterback backing up Kirk Cousins. Sloter has been terrific in the preseason. If the coaches gain confidence in his grasp of the nuances of the position they might keep him over the more experienced, and perhaps refined, Sean Mannion. Jake Browning should provide some insurance on the practice squad.

Running Backs
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
23 Mike Boone

Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison are set as RB1 and RB2. Mike Boone has done enough out of the backfield and on special teams to take the third spot from Ameer Abdullah. If the coaches really want Abdullah as a kick returner they could keep four backs.

Fullback
30 C.J. Ham

When Khari Blasingame was signed as an undrafted free agent I figured that it was for token competition for C.J. Ham. The Vikings have a tough decision at fullback. Blasingame has been impressive.

Wide Receivers
14 Stefon Diggs
19 Adam Thielen
12 Chad Beebe
81 Olabisi Johnson
15 Brandon Zylstra

Since the start of training camp I've switched from keeping six receivers to keeping five. That has more to do with the simple fact that the Vikings have four tight ends that I'd like to see on the roster rather than having a sixth receiver. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are among the best receivers in the league. Chad Beebe and Olabisi Johnson appear safe. Brandon Zylstra has received the most playing time and produced the most of the remaining contenders. If only Jeff Badet could stay healthy for more than a few consecutive days. He has the sort of speed that Vikings could really use at the position.

Tight Ends
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
89 David Morgan
83 Tyler Conklin

The only real question with the tight ends is whether David Morgan starts the season on an injured list.

Offensive Line
71 Riley Reiff
65 Pat Elflein
56 Garrett Bradbury
64 Josh Kline
75 Brian O'Neill
73 Dru Samia
76 Aviante Collins
61 Brett Jones
74 Olisaemeka Udoh

The offensive line spots beyond the five projected starters and rookie Dru Samia are up for grabs. I'm going with position versatility (Aviante Collins and Brett Jones) and developmental potential (Oli Udoh) in the backups. Collins has to get back on the field if he's to make the roster. If the Vikings can get Udoh to the practice squad, which could be a possibility for a raw sixth-round pick, Rashod Hill makes the roster. I've really liked Udoh's play in the preseason. He's been going against third-stringers but I think that he's shown enough to merit a roster spot no matter how raw he might currently be. I also think that he's shown enough that another team might grab him before he gets to the practice squad.

Defense (25 Players)

Defensive Line
97 Everson Griffen
93 Shamar Stephen
98 Linval Joseph
99 Danielle Hunter
91 Stephen Weatherly
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
94 Jaleel Johnson
92 Jalyn Holmes
51 Hercules Mata'afa

Trimming the defensive line will be brutal. Tashawn Bower's offseason Achilles injury thins out the defensive end competition a bit. As a result, the ends appear set with Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter, Stephen Weatherly, and Ifaedi Odenigbo. Defensive tackle is less set due to as many as six players that I want to see on the 53. Jaleel Johnson, Jalyn Holmes, and Hercules Mata'afa appear to be safe. Rookie sixth-round pick Armon Watts has played well enough to force the Vikings to think about keeping a tenth defensive linemen. But I don't think that there's room.

Linebackers
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
42 Ben Gedeon
50 Eric Wilson
57 Devante Downs
59 Cameron Smith

This is one of the easier positions to project. I think that the drafting of Cameron Smith put Kentrell Brothers on the outside of the 53-man roster.

Cornerbacks
29 Xavier Rhodes
26 Trae Waynes
20 Mackensie Alexander
21 Mike Hughes
24 Holton Hill
46 Bené Benwikere

Holton Hill is suspended for the first eight games. When his suspension was only four games it was a nuisance. Eight is a problem. I don't see it costing him his spot but he sure put the team in a bind. He's such an intriguing talent but he has to regain the trust of the coaches and his teammates before he stays. I currently have Bené Benwikere on the roster mostly because rookie Kris Boyd has struggled when he's been on the field in preseason games. Mike Hughes is still rehabbing a torn ACL. I'm hoping, even praying, that he's available for the start of the season. I have Hill on this projection but he won't be on the roster to start the season. His absence will open a roster spot.

Safeties
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris
27 Jayron Kearse
39 Marcus Epps

I have rookie Marcus Epps as the fourth safety but it could be AAF refugee Derron Smith.

Special Teams (3 Players)

Kicker
5 Dan Bailey

Punter
7 Kaare Vedvik

Long snapper

58 Austin Cutting

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Vikings-Cardinals Preseason Game #3

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the visiting Arizona Cardinals yesterday 20-9. It was another example of how the score of a preseason game reveals little of the game. The Vikings won by 11 points but you'd think that they lost by 50 if you go by the post game press conferences of head coach Mike Zimmer and quarterback Kirk Cousins.

From Zimmer:

“I felt like there wasn’t much energy,” Zimmer said. “Defensively, we didn’t rush the passer well. We had guys not going to the huddle defensively, so they don’t know the call. Offensively, we had dropped balls, penalties, a bunch of three-and-outs. We missed two field goals. It was really a poor performance, and we need to play a lot better than that if we’re going to win football games.”

From Cousins:

“We’ve got a long story to write here for the season,” quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “This will be ancient history as we get deep into the season, and we’ll find out if it was a help or not. But all I know right now without that benefit of hindsight is that if we play or I should say I, if I play the way I did today, it’s going to be a long year. We’ve got to be a lot better.”

More Cousins:

“If this ends up being the needed wake-up call or somehow we’re much sharper coming out of the gates Week 1, then it was all for the better,” Cousins said. “We don’t have that knowledge yet to see how it plays out, but certainly there will be a sense of urgency in our preparation, as there always should be. Bottom line, today was not acceptable.”

That's about all that needs to be said about this sad games but here's a little more.

It was the Vikings' third preseason game but it looked more like the team had stepped on the field for the first time after a long offseason. The difference between the performance of the first team offense in this game and the first two games is best seen in statistics of Cousins. He completed 10 of 12 passes for 133 yards and touchdown in the first two games. He completed just 3 of 13 passes for 35 yards yesterday. There were drops and tipped passes. He was sacked for the first time in the preseason. Maybe the first stringers were feeling a little too good about themselves.

If not for Dalvin Cook and the usual excellent preseason performance from quarterback Kyle Sloter, the Vikings lose this game. Cook had his first two carries of the preseason. He gained 88 yards on those two carries. One of those two carries was an 85-yard touchdown run. He looks ready for the season. He's really good. Simple as that. With Sloter's preseason performances the last two years, if the score is close when he enters the game it's a Vikings win. He completed 6 of 7 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals. He directed two touchdown drives. Cook started it. Sloter finished it. Just about everything in between needs to be corrected and then forgotten.

It's on to Thursday's preseason finale in Buffalo against the Bills.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Dane Brugler's Top 50 2020 Draft Prospects

This week, The Athletic football analyst Dane Brugler posted his first Top 50 Draft Board for the 2020 NFL Draft. The timing is really early for draft purposes but it's perfect for the 2019 college football season. The first of those games is this weekend. Many of the players I already know because they are really good at what they do. The are several that I didn't know too well. Thanks to Brugler they are now on my radar.

*Indicates draft-eligible underclassmen

1. *Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State (6-foot-5, 266 pounds)
2. *Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama (6-0, 232)
3. *A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa (6-5, 284)
4. *Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State (6-1, 200)
5. *Grant Delpit, SS, LSU (6-2, 206)
6. *Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama (6-2, 236)
7. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon (6-6, 240)
8. *Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado (6-2, 224)
9. *Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson (6-3, 228)
10. *Jordan Love, QB, Utah State (6-3, 224)
11. *CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma (6-1, 192)
12. *Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama (6-1, 195)
13. *Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa (6-5, 320)
14. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU (6-0, 194)
15. *Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (6-5, 318)
16. *Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama (6-5, 320)
17. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn (6-4, 325)
18. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama (6-2, 202)
19. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina (6-5, 308)
20. *D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia (5-9, 215)
21. *Creed Humphrey, OC, Oklahoma (6-4, 328)
22. *Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State (6-5, 264)
23. *Tyler Biadasz, OC, Wisconsin (6-2, 322)
24. Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame (6-5, 242)
25. *Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson (6-3, 205)
26. Jared Pinkney, TE, Vanderbilt (6-4, 260)
27. Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia (6-2, 202)
28. *Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU (5-10, 196)
29. *CJ Henderson, CB, Florida (6-1, 196)
30. *Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama (5-11, 192)
31. *Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State (5-9, 205)
32. *Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson (5-9, 212)
33. Darrell Taylor, EDGE, Tennessee (6-3, 259)
34. *Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame (6-5, 311)
35. *Lloyd Cushenberry III, OC, LSU (6-3, 312)
36. *Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia (6-1, 221)
37. Ashtyn Davis, FS, California (6-1, 201)
38. Lucas Niang, OT, TCU (6-6, 336)
39. *Xavier McKinney, FS, Alabama (6-1, 204)
40. *Walker Little, OT, Stanford (6-6, 314)
41. *Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford (6-1, 188)
42. *Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State (6-6, 315)
43. *Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan (6-2, 211)
44. *Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA (5-10, 196)
45. *Grant Calcaterra, TE, Oklahoma (6-4, 231)
46. *Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin (5-10, 218)
47. *Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State (5-11, 189)
48. Raekwon Davis, DL, Alabama (6-6, 315)
49. *Alaric Jackson, OT, Iowa (6-7, 295)
50. Troy Dye, LB, Oregon (6-3, 218)

37 of the 50 are underclassmen.

Position breakdown:
QB: 4
RB: 4
WR: 8
TE: 2
OL: 11
Edge: 5
DL: 3
LB: 3
CB: 7
S: 3

The offensive line is represented well. I like that. Of the eight offensive tackles on the list two are from Iowa:
13. *Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa (6-5, 320)
49. *Alaric Jackson, OT, Iowa (6-7, 295)

The 2019 NFL Draft was short on top-end receivers and cornerbacks. It looks like the 2020 NFL Draft will see a rebound at those positions.

Cal has a single player on the list, safety Ashtyn Davis at #37. He's one of five Cal defensive backs that could be drafted next spring.

Corners:
Camryn Bynum
Elijah Hicks
Treveon Beck

Safeties:
Ashtyn Davis
Jaylinn Hawkins

The Golden Bears have a defense that bears watching.

Friday, August 23, 2019

All-Time Best At Each Position

With the 2019 season being the NFL's 100th season there will be a lot of "All-Time teams" and "All-Time debates" over the next year. ESPN Senior Writer Jeff Legwold recently posted his "All-Time team." It's a good one. If one takes this task seriously, there really shouldn't be a bad one.

Offense

QB: Tom Brady

Career: New England Patriots, 2000-present

WR: Jerry Rice

Career: San Francisco 49ers, 1985-2000; Oakland Raiders, 2001-04; Seattle Seahawks, 2004

Hall of Fame class: 2010

WR: Don Hutson

Career: Green Bay Packers, 1935-45

Hall of Fame class: 1963

RB: Jim Brown

Career: Cleveland Browns, 1957-65

Hall of Fame class: 1971

RB: Walter Payton

Career: Chicago Bears, 1975-87

Hall of Fame class: 1993

LT: Anthony Munoz

Career: Cincinnati Bengals, 1980-92

Hall of Fame class: 1998

G: John Hannah

Career: New England Patriots, 1973-85

Hall of Fame class: 1991

C: Jim Otto

Career: Oakland Raiders, 1960-74

Hall Fame of class: 1990

G: Jim Parker

Career: Baltimore Colts 1957-67

Hall of Fame class: 1973

RT: Forrest Gregg

Career: Green Bay Packers 1956, 1958-70; Dallas Cowboys, 1971

Hall of Fame class: 1977

TE Tony Gonzalez

Career: Kansas City Chiefs, 1997-2008; Atlanta 2009-13

Hall of Fame class: 2019

Defense

DE: Reggie White

Career: Philadelphia Eagles, 1985-92; Green Bay Packers, 1993-98; Carolina Panthers, 2000

Hall of Fame class: 2006

DE: Deacon Jones

Career: Los Angeles Rams, 1961-71; San Diego Chargers, 1972-73; Washington Redskins, 1974

Hall of Fame class: 1980

DT: Joe Greene

Career: Pittsburgh Steelers, 1969-81

Hall of Fame class: 1987

DT: Merlin Olsen

Career: Los Angeles Rams, 1962-76

Hall of Fame class: 1982

LB: Lawrence Taylor

Career: New York Giants, 1981-93

Hall of Fame class: 1999

LB: Dick Butkus

Career: Chicago Bears, 1965-73

Hall of Fame class: 1979

LB: Bobby Bell

Career: Kansas City Chiefs, 1963-74

Hall of Fame class: 1983

CB: Deion Sanders

Career: Atlanta Falcons, 1989-93; San Francisco 49ers, 1994; Dallas Cowboys, 1995-99; Washington Redskins, 2000; Baltimore Ravens, 2004-05

Hall of Fame class: 2011

CB: Rod Woodson

Career: Pittsburgh Steelers, 1987-96; San Francisco 49ers, 1997; Baltimore Ravens, 1998-2003

Hall of Fame class: 2009

S: Ken Houston

Career: Houston Oilers, 1967-72; Washington Redskins, 1973-80

Hall of Fame class: 1986

S: Ronnie Lott

Career: San Francisco 49ers, 1981-90; Los Angeles Raiders, 1991-92; New York Jets, 1993-94

Hall of Fame class: 2000

Special Teams

K: Adam Vinatieri

Career: New England Patriots, 1996-2005; Indianapolis Colts, 2006-present

P: Ray Guy

Career: Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1973-86

Hall of Fame class: 2014

Special teamer/returner: Gale Sayers

Career: Chicago Bears, 1965-1971

Hall of Fame class: 1977

Coach Bill Belichick

Career: Cleveland Browns, 1991-95; New England Patriots, 2000-present

***

This a fine All-Time team. It's better than most. There's actually some acknowledgement that there was NFL football prior to the Super Bowl. Legwold mentions several of the deserving "old-timers" in his full article for the team.

It's been my opinion for quite some time that there are three players that must be on any All-Time NFL team. Legwold has all three on this team.

Jim Brown

Jerry Rice

Lawrence Taylor

Reggie White is close to making it four but Deacon Jones and Gino Marchetti are so damn good.

Here's my current All-Time Team:

Offense

QB: Tom Brady

WR: Jerry Rice

WR: Don Hutson

FB: Jim Brown

RB: Walter Payton

LT: Jonathan Ogden

G: Randall McDaniel

C: Mel Hein

G: Jim Parker

RT: Forrest Gregg

TE: Rob Gronkowski

Defense

DE: Reggie White

DE: Deacon Jones

DT: Bob Lilly

DT: Alan Page

LB: Lawrence Taylor

LB: Dick Butkus

LB: Jack Ham

CB: Deion Sanders

CB: Night Train Lane

S: Ed Reed

S: Ronnie Lott

Special Teams

K: Adam Vinatieri

P: Tommy Davis

Special teamer/returner: Gale Sayers

Coach: Vince Lombardi

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Throwback Thursday: 1920s All-Decade Team

This Flicker was originally posted on July 11, 2014

It took me nearly twenty years but I finally discovered 75 Seasons: The Complete Story of the National Football League. It's an excellent book put together by football writers Will McDonough, Peter King, Paul Zimmerman, Vic Carucci, Greg Garber, Kevin Lamb, Joe Gergen, Harold Rosenthal, C.W. Nevius, Ed Bouchette, Ted Brock, Tom Barnidge, and Phil Barber. That's an all-star lineup. They take a thorough look at each decade ending each with the selection of an All-Decade Team. The artwork for these is themed and it's fantastic. The members of the 1920 All-Decade Team are seen seated in and standing around an automobile in a Hupmobile dealership. Just like the founding fathers of the NFL did on September 17, 1920.

Here is that 1920s All-Decade Team:

Backs:
Paddy Driscoll
Harold "Red" Grange
Jim Thorpe
Ernie Nevers

Ends:
LaVern Dilweg
Guy Chamberlain

Tackles:
Cal Hubbard
Wilbur (Pete) Henry

Guards:
Walt Kiesling
Mike Michalske

Center:
George Trafton

In 1969, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Selection Committee retroactively selected All-Decade Teams in celebration of the NFL's first 50 years. All eleven of the above players were part of this team. So were seven others:

Backs:
Jimmy Conzelman
Paddy Driscoll
Harold "Red" Grange
Joe Guyon
Earl "Curly" Lambeau
Jim Thorpe
Ernie Nevers

Ends:
Guy Chamberlain
LaVern Dilweg
George Halas

Tackles:
Ed Healy
Wilbur (Pete) Henry
Cal Hubbard
Steve Owen

Guards
Hunk Anderson
Walt Kiesling
Mike Michalske

Center:
George Tafton

It's important to note that one member of the 75 Seasons team and two members of the Selection Committee team have not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. LaVern Dilweg and Hunk Anderson are the two players. Dilweg is the player named to both teams but not honored in Canton. Inclusion on an All-Decade team doesn't mean an automatic induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In this case, it's very much an injustice to Dilweg. He's universally considered one of the best players of the first decade of the NFL. His absence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been a six decade mystery. After finally inducting Benny Friedman and Fritz Pollard in 2005, I have the feeling that the Selection Committee has put a bow on the 1920s. They forgot someone. LaVern Dilweg should be honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the rest of the 1920s All-Decade Team. Hunk Anderson is one of the most interesting football figures of the early decades of football. He sort of bounced back and forth between Notre Dame and the Chicago Bears. Playing and coaching for both. He played for Knute Rockne and George Halas. He was an assistant coach for both iconic football figures. He was named the Notre Dame head coach following the tragic death of Rockne in 1931. He was a co-head coach of the Bears while Halas was in the service during World War II.

The artwork of 75 Seasons: The Complete Story of the National Football League is fantastic!!!! Can't say that enough.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

A Change Of Scenery?

On a podcast last week, two Minnesota Vikings beat writers were bashing receiver Laquon Treadwell. While bashing the receiver one of the beat writers suggested that, like Cordarrelle Patterson, perhaps Treadwell would benefit from a change of scenery. I've often heard talking heads say that Patterson benefited from a change of scenery. I've also head talking heads say that the Vikings didn't "use" Patterson properly. I've never understood these opinions. If Patterson has benefited so greatly from this change of scenery, why has he changed that scenery three times since his Minnesota days? If the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots used Patterson so well, why were his three most productive seasons in Minnesota? It's a mystery. It's also a mystery why these talking heads continue to manufacture a Patterson narrative that simply isn't true. Here are his receiving, rushing, and total yards from scrimmage statistics with his ever-changing scenery.

with the Vikings:

Receiving:

Year	Targets	Rec	Yards	Yds/Rec	TD
2013	77	45	469	10.4	4
2014	67	33	384	11.6	1
2015	2	2	10	5.0	0
2016	70	52	453	8.7	2

Rushing:

Year	Att	Yards	Yds/Att	TD
2013	12	158	13.2	3
2014	10	117	11.7	1
2015	2	15	7.5	0
2016	7	43	6.1	0

Total yards from scrimmage:

Year	Touches	Yards	Yds/Touch	TD
2013	57	627	11.0	7
2014	43	501	11.7	2
2015	4	25	6.3	0
2016	59	496	8.4	2

with the Raiders

Receiving:

Year	Targets	Rec	Yards	Yds/Rec	TD
2017	42	31	309	10.0	0

Rushing:

Year	Att	Yards	Yds/Att	TD
2017	13	121	9.3	2

Total yards from scrimmage:

Year	Touches	Yards	Yds/Touch	TD
2017	44	430	9.8	2

with the Patriots

Receiving:

Year	Targets	Rec	Yards	Yds/Rec	TD
2018	28	21	247	11.8	3

Rushing:

Year	Att	Yards	Yds/Att	TD
2018	42	228	5.4	1

Total yards from scrimmage:

Year	Touches	Yards	Yds/Touch	TD
2018	63	475	7.5	4

Patterson's very unproductive 2015 season with the Vikings is the outlier. From a team standpoint, it was the best of his four seasons in Minnesota. It was the only playoff appearance of his time with the team. Second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater directed a very ball-control oriented offense. Adrian Peterson led the league in rushing. As a rookie, Stefon Diggs emerged as the top receiving threat. Tight end Kyle Rudolph and veteran receivers Mike Wallace and Jarius Wright were complimentary receiving options. Patterson's role on the offense simply drifted to the side. When those talking heads question the Vikings use of Patterson perhaps it's only the 2015 season that they see. That's being selective with reality to boost their inaccurate take.

It's the Patriots use of Patterson as a running back that really draws the raves from the talking heads. It's probably those rushing attempts that prompted Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer to admit that maybe they should've gotten the ball in Patterson's hands a little more often. It was injuries to their running backs that forced the Patriots to use their versatile receiver in the backfield. Half of Patterson's 42 carries that season came in two games:

week 8 vs Bills:

10 carries, 38 yards

week 9 vs Packers:

11 carries, 61 yards, 1 TD

Patterson had nine more mostly ineffective carries over the next two games. That leaves 12 carries over the remaining 12 games in which the Patriots weren't using Patterson as one of their running backs. That's pretty much how the Vikings used him. It was injuries that forced the Patriots to use Patterson in a manner that the Vikings never did.

Cordarrelle Patterson is one of the most gifted runners that I've ever seen. He isn't the sort of runner that should be coming out of the backfield on a regular basis as the Patriots were forced to do for a couple games. He's the sort of runner that should be used on jet sweeps and an occasional backfield carries. He's the sort of receiver that should get the ball on bubble screens and quick hitting plays. He needs a few plays that he can master because he never seemed to ever grasp a full route tree. That's probably why he's now on his fourth team. His presence on the Chicago Bears kinda scares me. A lot. The things that Patterson does well seem to fit the sort of plays that Matt Nagy likes to call. Nagy finds unique ways to get the ball in the hands of unique playmakers. And Patterson is a very unique playmaker. But all of that remains to be seen. From what we have seen from Patterson in his six years in the league is that neither the Raiders or the Patriots used him better than the Vikings. So far, the only change of scenery that's really benefited Patterson is going from college to the NFL. His best season in the NFL is his rookie season.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Associated Press Preseason Top 25

The release of the AP Preseason Top 25 college football rankings is a good reason to step away from NFL preseason fun and Antonio Brown's damn helmet. The preseason rankings mean little but it's still fun to see. It also means that the college football season is nearly here. Miami plays Florida in Orlando this Saturday. More importantly, Cal hosts the fighting Aggies of UC Davis a week from Saturday.

Clemson took the national title last season and they start this season at the top of the AP rankings. That's a first for the Tigers. The remainder of the Top 5 is the usual title contenders. Maybe this season will finally bring something new.

Preseason AP Top 25

1. Clemson (15-0)
2. Alabama (14-1)
3. Georgia (11-3)
4. Oklahoma (12-2)
5. Ohio State (13-1)
6. LSU (10-3)
7. Michigan (10-3)
8. Florida (10-3)
9. Notre Dame (12-1)
10. Texas (10-4)
11. Oregon (9-4)
12. Texas A&M (9-4)
13. Washington (10-4)
14. Utah (9-5)
15. Penn State (9-4)
16. Auburn (8-5)
17. UCF (12-1)
18. Michigan State (7-6)
19. Wisconsin (8-5)
20. Iowa (9-4)
21. Iowa State (8-5)
22. Syracuse (10-3)
23. Washington State (11-2)
24. Nebraska (4-8)
25. Stanford (9-4)

Here's a Flea Flicker stab at a preseason Top 25.

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Georgia
4. Oregon
5. Michigan
6. Texas
7. LSU
8. Florida
9. Utah
10. Ohio State
11. Oklahoma
12. Notre Dame
13. Auburn
14. Penn State
15. Iowa State
16. Washington
17. Nebraska
18. UCF
19. Texas A&M
20. Iowa
21. Wisconsin
22. Michigan State
23. Army
24. Utah State
25. California

Or something like that.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Vikings-Seahawks Preseason Game #2

Mike Zimmer rules August. After last night's 25-19 win home win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Minnesota Vikings head coach now has a 19-4 preseason record. While not necessarily a statistic that's routinely brought up in conversation it's not a bad thing. Winning is winning. Even in the preseason.

Some good from the Vikings 25-19 defeat of the Seahawks:

1. Penalties. Last week the Vikings were penalized 13 times. Last night, they were penalized six times. The decrease is great but it wasn't all good. There were some very costly penalties. A clipping penalty on tight end Kyle Rudolph moved the ball from the six-yard line to outside the 20-yard line. That's a momentum and opportunity killer. The Vikings had to settle for a field goal. Holton Hill had a couple big penalties. A pass interference and a helmet-to-helmet hit that knocked Seahawks quarterback out of the game. The latter penalty also removed Hill from the game. Despite some costly penalties, it was great to cut the total penalties in half from Week 1 to Week 2.

2. Quarterbacks. Kirk Cousins, Sean Mannion, and Kyle Sloter played well. Jake Browning didn't play at all. The difference in this preseason game was simple. The Vikings backup quarterbacks outplayed the Seahawks backup quarterbacks. Cousins and Russell Wilson were basically a push. Mannion and Sloter moved the ball and led three touchdown drives. The Seahawks only touchdown was a defensive score.

3. Running backs. The Vikings rushed for over 200 yards last week. They weren't nearly as productive against the Seahawks, 137 yards on 39 carries, but they were effective. The backs moved the chains and drained the clock at the end of the game. Three plays stood out. The Vikings had a 4th-and-1 on their opening drive. C.J. Ham picked it up. The third touchdown came on a 1st-and-goal from the 1. Khari Blasingame scored on first down. They went for 2, Mike Boone cruised through the line and into the end zone. Those short-yardage runs might not seem like much but the Vikings couldn't pick those up last year. Picking up a much needed yard on the ground was a frequent struggle. If they had to pick up a yard on the ground last year, they couldn't. They did it with ease last night.

4. The defense in general. Nothing in particular stood out. The secondary had some breakdowns. But the defense throughout the game kept the Seahawks out of the end zone. After Wilson left the game, the Seahawks offense rarely threatened.

5. Kicking game. After sending a 5th-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for K/P Kaare Vedvik last Sunday, the media and fans had a week full of fun and questions over the kicking game. Through two preseason games, Dan Bailey has put every kick through the uprights. Granted, he's only had to hit extra points and a field goal that was shorter than an extra point, but there's something refreshingly stress-free about the operation. But, maybe that's just me. Until the Vikings show me something else, I'm running with the thinking that Bailey will kick and Vedvik will punt and kick off. It's looking more and more like receiver Chad Beebe will be the holder.

Players That Played Well:

1. Adam Thielen. It seems silly to include Thielen as a player that played well in a preseason game. There's something about his game this year that seems better than previous years. Terrific catches are just another day at the office. He's good. Really good.

2. Harrison Smith. As with Thielen it seems silly to single out Smith for his play in a preseason game. He made two plays, one against the run and one against the pass, that showed the versatility that he's shown for years. He's good. Really good.

3. Jayron Kearse. He had three tackles for loss and basically wrecked the intentions of the Seahawks offense throughout the time he was on the field. Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris are set as the safeties but the coaches have to find ways to get Kearse on the field as often as possible.

4. Irv Smith, Jr. The rookie tight end looked much more confident and comfortable this week. He even scored his first NFL touchdown.

5. Ifeadi Odenigbo. It may have taken a while but Odenigbo really seems to have found his place on the team. He's been very disruptive in both preseason games. The defensive end depth behind Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter is looking good with Stephen Weatherly and Odenigbo.

6. Kaare Vedvik. His punting and kicking looks so effortless. Perhaps there will be a day when he does both. For now, he looks like the punter and I'm feeling better about the entire kicking game because of it.

Some other thoughts.

Until this point, I was firmly of the opinion that Ameer Abdullah had a solid hold on the third running back job. Part of that was due to his kick return skills. I'm now leaning toward Mike Boone being the third running back. This is his second preseason with the team and he just makes plays whenever he gets playing time. It didn't help Abdullah that he was out against the Seahawks.

More running backs. The Vikings were backed up near the own goal line to start their second possession. On the first play, Alexander Mattison was bent backwards at the knee in an awkward manner. Live and on replay, I thought that his season was done. I was surprised and very relieved to see him in the backfield for the next play. Remarkable.

Even more running backs. I can not wait to see Dalvin Cook in this offense. Or, I can not wait to see this offense with Dalvin Cook in it.

A win is a win. Even in preseason. Winning is fun.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

AFC Breakout Players

The middle of the preseason schedule is a fine time to pick a breakout player for the 2019 NFL season from each team. Now it's the AFC's turn.

Baltimore Ravens
Orlando Brown, OT
-Offensive linemen can break out. And the son of Zeus is the perfect candidate.

Cincinnati Bengals
Jessie Bates III, S
-Bates looks like a long-time, ball-hawking centerfielder.

Cleveland Browns
Christian Kirksey, LB
-Kirksey has been a terrific linebacker for a while. But he's never had a line in front of him quite like the one that he has now.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Devin Bush, LB
-Bush's breakout is inevitable.

Buffalo Bills
John Brown, WR
-Brown has teased with breaking out with a couple teams. His best chance is now.

Miami Dolphins
Kalen Ballage, RB
-Big and fast. The Dolphins offense should depend on him.

New England Patriots
Sony Michel, RB
-Michel is the most talented Patriots back since Corey Dillon. If he stays healthy he's bound to break out. No matter how many backs the Patriots routinely use.

New York Jets
Jamison Crowder, WR
-I've been a fan of Crowder for a while. He should get his opportunity to break out in New York with Sam Darnold.

Houston Texans
Jordan Reid, S
-He's no longer Eric Reid's little brother.

Indianapolis Colts
Parris Campbell, WR
-All Andrew Luck needs is another weapon. Campbell should be a playmaker in Indianapolis for a long time.

Jacksonville Jaguars
DJ Chark, WR
-The Jaguars need Chark to break out.

Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry, RB
-His break out was actually at the end of last season.

Denver Broncos
Courtland Sutton, WR
-Sutton's emergence made it easy to part with Demaryius Thomas.

Kansas City Chiefs
Mitchell Schwartz, OT
-Seeing as the best right tackle in the league has never made it to the Pro Bowl, Schwartz is a breakout candidate.

Los Angeles Chargers
Hunter Henry, TE
-All Henry has to do is stay healthy and he'll break out.

Oakland Raiders
Josh Jacobs, RB
-The Raiders need their rookie runner to break out. Jacobs has the talent to do so.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

NFC Breakout Players

The middle of the preseason schedule is a fine time to pick a breakout player for the 2019 NFL season from each team. The NFC is up first.

Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook, RB
-Cook just has to stay on the field.

Chicago Bears
David Montgomery, RB
-Jordan Howard didn't really fit Matt Nagy's offense. Montgomery does.

Detroit Lions
Jarrad Davis, LB
-Davis is the leader of a Lions defense that has to improve.

Green Bay Packers
Jaire Alexander, CB
-According to Alexander he broke out the moment he was drafted.

Dallas Cowboys
Tony Pollard, RB
-If Ezekiel Elliott pulls a Le'Veon Bell, Pollard will have no choice but to break out.

New York Giants
Lorenzo Carter, LB
-Carter probably gets the nod simply because he became a favorite of mine leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft.

Philadelphia Eagles
Miles Sanders, RB
-If their Super Bowl run is any indication the Eagles offense is at it's best with a capable stable of running backs. As as rookie, Sanders might already be the best back on the team.

Washington Redskins
Terry McLaurin, WR
-The Redskins have to get the ball in the hands of McLaurin.

Atlanta Falcons
Calvin Ridley, WR
-Playing opposite Julio Jones helps but Ridley is a terrific receiver on his own.

Carolina Panthers
Brian Burns, DE
-The Panthers could use a speedy pass rusher off the edge. Burns happens to be one.

New Orleans Saints
Jared Cook, TE
-Picking Cook doesn't feel right seeing as he's been one of the better tight ends in the league for a while. Cook in this offense has the possibility of a different sort of season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Devin White, LB
-White immediately steps into the spot vacated by Kwon Alexander.

Arizona Cardinals
Christian Kirk, WR
-Kirk should shine in Kliff Kingsbury's offense.

Los Angeles Rams
Taylor Rapp, S
-This one might be a reach. I think that Rapp is going to force the Rams to start him and he's going to be around the ball for the rest of his career.

San Francisco 49ers
Jalen Hurd, WR
-I'm going with the rookie receiver that reminds me of a big Percy Harvin.

Seattle Seahawks
Tyler Lockett, WR
-Some might say that Lockett has already broken out. I think that he's just getting started.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Black College Player of the Year Watch List

Everyone knows about the quarterbacks from Alabama and Clemson. Everyone knows about the running back from Wisconsin. A lot of people know about the receiver from Colorado. Several people know about the tackle from Iowa. Too few know about the best football players from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. On Wednesday, the Black College Football Hall of Fame released it's 2019 Watch List for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award.

Four finalists for the Black College Football Player of the Year will be announced on December 3, 2019. The winner will be presented the Deacon Jones Trophy during the Black College Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on February 15, 2020.

The Watch List candidates have been selected based on past performance and future potential. Additions to the list may be made as the 2019 season progresses. The finalists and the winner will be chosen by a Selection Committee.

2019 Watch List for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award

Alabama A&M
Jordan Bentley, RB
Aqeel Glass, QB

Alcorn State
Qwynnterio Cole, DB
Noah Johnson, QB
Javen Morrison, DB
Solomon Muhammad, LB
DE'Shawn Waller, RB

Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Taeyler Porter, RB

Benedict
Traviontae Brown, DB

Bethune-Cookman
Marques Ford, DL
Marquis Hendrix, LB
Trevor Merritt, DB
Jimmie Robinson, WR/KR

Bowie State
Joshua Pryor, DL

Central State
Kevin Greenhow, WR

Delaware State
Brian Cavicante, LB

Fayetteville State
Stevie Green, QB
Brandon Smith, KR

Florida A&M
Xavier Smith, WR

Fort Valley State
Camron Young, DB

Grambling State
Joseph McWilliams, DB
Anfernee Mullins, DL

Hampton
Deondre Francois, QB

Howard
Kyle Anthony, WR
Jequez Ezzard, WR
Caylin Newton, QB
Dedrick Parson, RB

Lincoln (PA)
Solomon Bassett, DL

Miles
Austin Stephens, LB
Leonard Tyree, WR

Morehouse
Santo Dunn, RB
Michael Sims, QB

Morgan State
Rico Kennedy, LB
Ian McBurrough, LB

North Carolina A&T State
Elijah Bell, WR
Mac McCain III, DB

North Carolina Central
Isaiah Totten, RB

Prairie View A&M
Jalen Morton, QB
Ju'Anthony Parker, DB
Dawonya Tucker, RB

Saint Augustine's
Joseph Harris, Jr., LB

Shaw University
Devon Hunt, LB

Tennessee State
Chris Rowland, WR

Tuskegee
Davoris Thomas, LB

Virginia Union
Sterling Hammond, DB
Tabyus Taylor, RB

Winston-Salem University
Daryus Skinner, DB

Look at all those defensive players. Does the "Heisman Watch" ever track defensive players?

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Throwback Thursday: August 18, 2009

This Flicker was originally posted on 8/21/14. It's now been 10 years since Brett Favre joined the Minnesota Vikings and it still feels like some strange dream.

Five years ago this week, on August 18, 2009, the Minnesota Vikings signed former adversary Brett Favre. Though rumored, it was a shocking event that rocked two, rival franchises. Families may even have been divided. Brett Favre wearing his familiar #4 in a very unfamiliar purple jersey. The whole day was a circus. News helicopters. A convoy of cars from the airport to the Vikings Eden Prairie facility. Stunned fans everywhere.

The Minnesota Vikings entered the 2009 season with a talented, veteran football team. They were 10-6 in 2008 with a brief playoff appearance. They could do so much more if they only had a quarterback that had the respect of any defense that they faced. There was a fierce quarterback battle in Minnesota between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels. Both are fine quarterbacks. Both are better as backup quarterbacks than starters. Neither throws much fear into an NFL defense. Head coach Brad Childress knew that he needed a better quarterback if he ever wanted to have more than a brief playoff appearance. He needed Favre. And, Favre apparently needed the Minnesota Vikings. He wanted to face the Packers twice. He wanted to face the team that he led for 16 years. The team that he forced to trade him somewhere. The team that traded him to the New York Jets. The Vikings were the perfect team for Favre and he was the perfect quarterback for the Vikings. Some Vikings fans could never accept it but most were thrilled beyond belief. Brett Favre is the Minnesota Vikings quarterback! It just didn't seem possible.

Before he was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Brad Childress was Andy Reid's offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. Reid was Favre's quarterback coach on Mike Homgren's staff with the Green Bay Packers. Childress had installed an offense in Minnesota that Favre could run in his sleep. The Vikings offered an array of offensive weapons that included running backs Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor and receiver's Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, and Bernard Berrian. With his experience in this offense, Favre was a plug-and-play quarterback from the moment that he signed his big contract. He didn't need any stinkin' training camp in Mankato. He could come to the Vikings facilities during the third week of August and be ready to play NFL games for a new team in about three weeks. Five years ago this week, on August 18, 2009, he did just that.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Minnesota Vikings Specialists

The Minnesota Vikings have made some tweaks to their specialists. When training camp started just over two weeks ago the group looked like this.

Kicker
Dan Bailey

Punter
Matt Wile

Long Snapper
Kevin McDermott
Austin Cutting

Holder
Matt Wile

Now, it looks something like this:

Kicker
Dan Bailey

Punter
Matt Wile
Kaare Vedvik

Long Snapper
Austin Cutting

Holder
?

The easiest position tweak to explain is the one that was pretty much decided at the draft. When the Vikings selected Air Force long snapper Austin Cutting with their final pick in the seventh round, Kevin McDermott's days of handling the snaps were numbered. The rotation at the long snapper position through two weeks of training camp wasn't doing the consistency of the kicking battery any good. McDermott was released on Sunday.

While releasing McDermott did answer one question, another Sunday transaction introduced several new questions. The Vikings traded a 2020 5th-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for Kaare Vedvik. That's a significant price to pay for a kicker, or a punter, or both. Vedvik can kick and punt really well. The Ravens had both positions covered so four teams reportedly called about the availability of the talented specialist. Now, he's in Minnesota. So, what position will he play? Media and fans are asking. The Vikings are basically saying, "we'll see." Media and fans don't like vague answers. If Vedvik's first couple practices are any indication, it looks like he's the punter. More accurately, he's competing with Matt Wile to be the Vikings punter. But, a team doesn't trade a 5th-round pick for a punter and then release him. As with Cutting basically having the long snapper job the moment he was drafted, Vedvik had a roster spot as soon as the Vikings traded for him. I'm presently thinking that he's the punter. Unless, he becomes the kicker. While I believe that Dan Bailey will keep the kicker job, the possibility that the team turns to Vedvik is out there. A much more remote possibility is Vedvik handling both positions. The only certainty with the Vikings specialists is that Austin Cutting will be the long snapper and Kaare Vedvik will have a role with the team.

At recent press conferences, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer spoke well of Bailey. That and Vedvik spending much of yesterday's practice punting leads me to believe that each will handle those duties. I'm guessing that Vedvik will kick off as well as provide insurance as a kicker. Maybe he even handles longer field goals. The possibility of him kicking at times might explain why receiver Chad Beede was the holder for all of Bailey's field goal and extra point attempts. The Vikings typically have their punter hold for kicks. Another player would have to hold if the punter has to come in to kick a field goal. After all, what team wants to have a second holder to accommodate a second kicker?

So, until something to the contrary is announced I'm presently going with the Vikings specialists for the 2019 season looking something like this:

Kicker
Dan Bailey

Punter
Kaare Vedvik

Long Snapper
Austin Cutting

Holder
Chad Beebe

My thinking for the above group being the Vikings specialists in 2019 relies heavily on Zimmer's recent kind words for Bailey and yesterday's practice. A practice which had Vedvik concentrating on punting and Beebe holding. There's a chance that each was doing what they were doing simply because Matt Wile had sliced his hand during Friday's preseason game and needed stitches to close the wound. So, there are still questions about the Vikings specialists. There are more questions now than there were two weeks ago. There are always questions throughout the roster this time of year. Just because the specialist positions are usually the most settled positions in training camp doesn't mean a little uncertainty is a bad thing. Having a player as versatile as Vedvik is intriguing. He gives the team unique options. It would be a mistake to not explore those options. But, it'd be nice to get the kicking battery settled pretty soon. The longer that group has to work together the better it will be for the season. The kicking has to improve. It's been a mess since Blair Walsh missed that kick. I don't think that I've been relaxed for a Vikings extra point or field goal attempt since. That has to change and the hope here is that this unusual specialist group will do so.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Centennial Class Predictions

In celebration of 100 years of APFA/NFL football as many as 20 players/coaches/contributors will make up a special 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class. The Centennial Class will break down like this:

5 modern era players
10 senior players
3 contributors
2 coaches

I'll probably be doing a bunch of these predictions by the time this "giant" Centennial Hall of Fame Class is announced. For now, this is the Class that I have.

Modern Era
Troy Polamalu, S, Steelers
Patrick Willis, LB, 49ers
Tony Boselli, OT, Jaguars
Steve Hutchinson, OG, Seahawks, Vikings, Titans
Steve Atwater, S, Broncos, Jets

I'd like to see the honor of being a first-ballot inductee limited to players that were truly special. Troy Polamalu and Patrick Willis were two of the best, most fun players I've ever watched play their positions. That strikes me as special. Tony Boselli and Steve Hutchinson were among the best at their positions at the time that they played. In the case of Boselli, he was among the best at his position at a time when players like Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones, and Orlando Pace played it. The voters have finally started getting deserving safeties into the Hall. That continues with Steve Atwater.

Senior Players
Duke Slater, T, Badgers, Independents, Cardinals
Lavvie Dilweg, E, Badgers, Packers
Ox Emerson, G/C/LB, Spartans, Lions, Dodgers
Al Wistert, T, Eagles
Mac Speedie, E, Browns
Alex Karras, DT, Lions
Cliff Harris, S, Cowboys
Drew Pearson, WR, Cowboys
Cliff Branch, WR, Raiders
Randy Gradishar, LB, Broncos

When talking heads honk about the players that should be a part of the Centennial Class they start with players that played in the 1970s. If the voters also focus on those players the purpose for the Centennial Class will have eluded them. Too many people think that the NFL started with the first Super Bowl. Nearly half of the NFL's existence came before that game. If Duke Slater, Lavvie Dilweg, Ox Emerson, Mac Speedie, Al Wistert, and Alex Karras aren't part of the Centennial Class what's the point of celebrating all 100 years. The voters clearly aren't. If those players don't make the Hall in this Class they never will. Slater, Dilweg, and Wistert should've made it long ago.

Contributors
Ralph Hay, Canton Bulldogs Owner, co-founder of the APFA/NFL
Steve Sabol, NFL Films
Eddie Kotal, Scout/Coach, Packers, Rams

One would think that the man that called and hosted the meeting that started the APFA/NFL and owned the most dominant team of the new league's first five years would already be in the Hall. Ralph Hay did all of that in Canton. He really should be honored there. Nothing really needs to be said on Steve Sabol's behalf. He's a Hall of Famer. There are a few scouts/personnel men that are deserving but I'm going with arguably the first scout with Eddie Kotal.

Coaches
Buddy Parker, Cardinals, Lions, Steelers
Don Coryell, Cardinals, Chargers

There are a few coaches that deserve consideration. Buddy Parker, Don Coryell, Postsy Clark, Tom Flores, and Jimmy Johnson come to mind. Today, I'm going with Parker and Coryell.

Monday, August 12, 2019

Some Football Thoughts

Week 1 of the 2019 NFL Preseason is in the books. Here are some of the football things that have been on my mind.

1. One of the great curiosities of the NFL's preseason is the fan and media reaction to it. When Week 1 hits, everyone is thrilled that football is back. By Week 2, maybe Week 3, everyone is sick of the sloppy play and absence of "real" football. Everyone complains that most of the players in the games won't be around in a month. They also complain if a star player sees a hint of action. Basically, everyone starts complaining about the preseason mere days after trumpeting the preseason.

2. Personally, I've always enjoyed preseason games. I understood early on that the games are practice games. They are just part of the process, an extension of training camp rather than the start to the regular season. They were never meant to be real games. They were never advertised as such. And they absolutely should not be priced as real games. One of the great wrongs that the NFL has ever committed has been forcing fans to pay real game prices for practice games.

3. I can not wait to see the regular season version of the Minnesota Vikings offense. I can not wait to see how a diverse, talented tight end group is used in the offense. And I absolutely can not wait to see Dalvin Cook play in the offense.

4. Antonio Brown is out of his mind.

5. Most of the talking heads and all of the football haters have enjoyed pointing their pointy fingers at the NFL over the issue of brain injuries. In their minds, the NFL is the only party deserving of blame. For some reason all of the other levels of football have always received a pass. The NFL absolutely does deserve blame but there is a lot of blame to go around. Everyone involved in the game is responsible for the current situation. And "current" really isn't accurate. Brain injuries in football aren't a new thing. All levels of football deserve blame. From youth leagues to the NFL. Many football coaches, at all levels, have long encouraged big hits over fundamentally-sound hits. Hell, fans routinely encourage those hits. So, fans deserve some of that blame as well. Oakland Raiders fans loved, and encouraged, the sort of hits that Jack Tatum used to end the football career of Darryl Stingley. In a preseason game. The players have always been seen as the victims. In reality, they are part of the problem. Tatum was an excellent example of this. He showed zero consideration for his peers. He showed zero consideration for his own welfare. Most players don't. They routinely ignore concussions. They'd ignore concussions today, despite all the information that's out there and a supposedly eye-opening movie, if given the chance. Antonio Brown wants to use an outdated helmet, one that doesn't pass current safety standards, because he's comfortable with it. So comfortable that he's willing to risk his own brain. It seems that in this case the NFL has greater concern for Brown's current and long-term welfare than he does.

6. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is a magical place. So is Canton, Ohio.

7. The Vikings have themselves a new kicker, or punter, or kicker-punter. They traded a 2020 fifth round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for Kaare Vedvik. Over the last seven years the Vikings have addressed the kicker position with three draft picks, a 6th to select Blair Walsh in 2012, a 5th to select Daniel Carlson in 2018, and now a 5th in 2020 to acquire Vedvik. While I don't like seeing the Vikings invest more draft capital on a kicker, the position has to get settled. Too many games have been given away to missed extra points and field goals. Too many playoff games and games to get into the playoffs have gone the wrong way. If Vedvik is the kicking answer he's easily worth the fifth round price. He's also an accomplished punter. He kicked four field goals (55,45,26,29) and two extra points as well as booming two punts over fifty yards in Thursday night's 29-0 preseason win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. If he wasn't on the radar of kicker-needy teams last preseason, he certainly was after the first game of this preseason. Will Vedvik handle both kicking and punting for the Vikings? It would be tempting to open up a roster spot for one of the hotly contested position groups (defensive line?) but I think that's a gamble that's probably not worth taking. Until I see different, I'm guessing that Kaare Vedvik is the Vikings kicker moving forward. Maybe the punter. Or kicker-punter.

8. It just feels right for the Vikings to have a Norwegian player on the team.

9. Every multiple-round mock draft that I did for the Vikings (and I did a lot of them) included Baylor receiver Jalen Hurd. So it was real disappointing to see the San Francisco 49ers grab him from me in the third round.

10. Rest In Peace Darryl Drake.