Category: NFL (Page 170 of 1282)

      Bengals to use top pick on a quarterback now?

      February 23, 2011 /
      Cincinnati Bengals starting quarterback Carson Palmer (9) throws against the Indianapolis Colts during the second quarter at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis on November 14, 2010. UPI /Mark Cowan

      According to the team’s official website, the Bengals are taking Carson Palmer’s threat to be traded or retire “quite seriously” and will kick the tires on all kinds of quarterback options this offseason. One option might be to draft a quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick so that they’re not stuck with Carson’s brother Jordan at the top of their depth chart next season.

      It figures that this report would surface three days after I put together a post titled, “Three reasons why Carson Palmer will remain a Bengal.” Timing is everything in life and mine is somewhere between horrendous and awful.

      If the Bengals do decide to draft a quarterback, either Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton could be available in the first round depending on what the Panthers and Bills do ahead of them. Many mock drafts have Carolina selecting Gabbert with the top overall pick and Buffalo picking Newton at No. 3. One option the Bengals have is to see how the first three picks play out and then go from there.

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      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Top 5 most NFL-ready draft prospects for 2011

      February 23, 2011 /

      It’s difficult to gauge whether or not a prospect is NFL-ready heading into the draft because we have no idea where he’ll end up. I may like Ryan Mallett as a prospect, but if his best fit is in a vertical offense and he winds up in the West Coast, well then he might not pan out. And that’s not my fault if he doesn’t. It’s your fault, NFL Team.

      But based on their physical skills and strengths as they apply to the next level, here are the top 5 most NFL-ready prospects in my eyes.

      1. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
      Hands down, Green is the most NFL-ready prospect in this year’s draft. What I like most about him is his body control and balance. When he runs routes, he’s fluid getting out of his breaks and he uses his quickness to separate from coverage. He could stand to be more physical at the line of scrimmage and when the ball is in the air, but that’s not to suggest he doesn’t have great leaping ability or he doesn’t locate the ball well (because he does). He also catches passes away from his body, is good about getting up field after he secures the catch and he uses his hips incredibly well (an important trait that all players must have at the next level).
      Best Fit: Cincinnati or Cleveland. Both teams run a version of the West Coast Offense, which relies on receivers to run a lot of horizontal routes (think sideline to sideline) and force defenses to stretch itself across the field. I would love to see Green wind up with the Browns because I think he would fit in well with the receivers they already have on the roster (i.e. Mohamed Massaquoi, Josh Cribbs, Chansi Stuckey and Brian Robiskie) and he would give Colt McCoy a true No. 1. But if the Bengals release Chad Ochocinco, I could see them pulling the trigger on Green at No. 4.

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      College Football, External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft, Video

      Revisiting the Jeremy Shockey trade; could he wind up in Miami?

      February 22, 2011 /

      The Saints dumped tight end Jeremy Shockey on Tuesday and while some are surprised by the move, it’s hard to fault New Orleans given the circumstances.

      Shockey was scheduled to make $4.5 million next season, is injury prone and was less effective than fellow tight end Jimmy Graham in Sean Payton’s offense last year. At 30, it’s clear that Shockey’s best days are behind him and his nine seasons in the league have taken a toll on his body.

      As often the case when a player is cut, his release got me thinking about the trade the Saints made in 2008 to acquire him from the Giants. On paper, New Orleans definitely got the better end of the deal. Shockey racked up 139 receptions, 1,460 yards and six touchdowns for the Saints over the last three seasons. He also helped them beat the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV by catching a touchdown pass in the second half.

      The second round pick that the Giants acquired in the deal was used on linebacker Clint Sintim, who only has 33 tackles in two seasons and regularly can’t find the field. The fifth round selection that New York also received in the trade netted quarterback Rhett Bomar, who is now on Minnesota’s roster.

      But just because Sintim hasn’t panned out (yet) doesn’t mean the Giants didn’t find value in trading Shockey. It’s well known that he was a constant distraction for Eli Manning, who went on to have a career-year (statistically, at least) in 2009 when Shockey was in New Orleans. It has also been noted that Manning played better the year the Giants won the Super Bowl because Shockey suffered a season-ending injury in December.

      Thus, trading Shockey offered New York addition by subtraction.

      Where he’ll resurface is anyone’s guess but if I were to make a prediction I would say Miami. He played for “The U” in college and while Anthony Fasano is a solid option as both a blocker and receiver, new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll loves to work the middle of the field with his tight ends (almost to a fault).

      Of course, the Patriots proved last year that teams can be highly effective with two tight ends, so Shockey could wind up anywhere.

      External Sports, NFL

      Report: Tim Tebow doesn’t have full support of new Denver staff

      February 22, 2011 /
      Denver Broncos rookie QB Tim Tebow (15) hands off to Correll Buckhalter in the fourth quarter against the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California on December 19, 2010. Tebow ran for 78 yards and a TD in the Broncos 39-23 loss to the Raiders. UPI/Terry Schmitt

      If NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi’s latest report on Tim Tebow is true, don’t rule out the Broncos selecting a quarterback with the second overall pick in this year’s draft.

      Tim Tebow, a first-round pick last year, was not selected by new coach John Fox. Most members of the Broncos who were there when the Tebow pick was made are looking to distance themselves from the choice, which is a classic way for things to operate in the NFL.

      Last year, no one associated with the Broncos complained about the Tebow pick, thinking they were being loyal to the head coach, when in reality, not voicing an opinion or pretending you like a player is the highest form of disloyalty and disservice.

      So Tebow is a man without much support in Denver, making quarterback a huge need. Can the Broncos be so focused on defense that they ignore an NFL team’s most essential position? Or will they feel like Kyle Orton can manage the game well enough to allow them to replenish the defense, something near and dear to Fox’s heart?

      This isn’t surprising. It’s customary for a new coaching staff to want nothing to do with a young quarterback when they didn’t have a hand in drafting him. But I find it hard to believe that John Fox and Co. have already soured on Tebow when they haven’t seen him take a snap in practice, let alone a live game.

      But Lombardi is a reliable source, so maybe the report has legs. There were many teams willing to pass on Tebow last April because of the project he represented at the next level. He was a great college quarterback because the offense that Urban Meyer ran at Florida was the perfect blend of single wing running and spread passing. Unfortunately for Tebow, nobody runs that offense on a consistent basis in the NFL.

      It would be unfortunate if Fox gave up on Tebow before giving him a fair shake, especially considering he stuck with Jake Delhomme in Carolina for so long. (Delhomme was absolutely brutal in the final years under Fox.) But I can’t fault Fox for wanting to develop his own quarterback. After all, he didn’t draft Tebow – Josh McDaniels did.

      If Denver does rid itself of him, here’s hoping Tebow winds up in New England. At least then Bill Belichick will figure out a way to get him on the field. Whether or not he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL is up for debate, but the kid is a football player through and through and deserves to play.

      External Sports, NFL

      Did Ryan Mallett skip the 2010 draft due to a drug addiction?

      February 22, 2011 /

      More damning rumors are surfacing about quarterback prospect Ryan Mallett’s character and off-field issues. According to Tony Softli of ESPN 101 St. Louis, Mallett did not declare for the 2010 NFL draft due to a possible drug addiction.

      Character and drug use issues are starting to rear their ugly head. Heavy rumors of drug use and possible addiction kept him from coming out for the 2010 draft. A lot of people are comparing Mallett to Ryan Leaf. I think Ryan was a better football player, with a cannon for an arm but the immaturity was just too much to overcome. A hair facial test might tell all 32 teams who this person really is.

      These next six days are vital for Mallett as he gears up for the scouting combine. He has the most red flags of any quarterback prospect in the draft, which includes Cam Newton. He’ll be administered a drug test to see if he’s used recently and if he has, his stock will certainly plummet as we inch closer to the draft.

      Hopefully these are just nasty rumors, but there have been several reports to come out in the last couple of days that don’t paint Mallett in good light. In fact, just yesterday Wes Bunting of the National Football Post wrote that a scout “doesn’t trust the guy as a person off the field” because of the dirt he had on Mallett. Is that “dirt” the same information that Softli just released about the drug addiction?

      Of course, if the kid can play then nobody will remember or care about these reports three years from now. But for the time being, they certainly aren’t helping him improve his draft stock. Again, hopefully these are just nasty rumors.

      College Football, External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

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