Category: NFL (Page 486 of 1282)

      Would Marshall be a good fit for the Patriots?

      February 12, 2010 /

      ESPN’s John Clayton was recently asked whether or not Brandon Marshall would be a good fit in New England and this is what the Professor had to say:

      “He’s perfect for the Patriots’ offense and would add excitement to the division. Julian Edelman should develop into a nice slot receiver. I don’t know if he will be as good as Welker, but he can be very effective. The Patriots left themselves short of receiving talent last year after Moss and Welker. Adding a great receiver such as Marshall would be intriguing. They hit the jackpot in trades for Welker and Moss. Why not roll the dice a third time?”

      I think Marshall would be a good fit for any team. He’s a rare talent and a true go-to receiver in every sense of the word. He has mastered how to use his body to screen opponents from the ball while making plays in traffic and while he’s not explosive, he uses long strides to build speed and run away from defenders in the open field.

      The problem is that Marshall is a freaking coconut. His mood changes with the seasons and he’s been a headache off the field since he entered the league. Nobody questions his talent; they question the thing between his ears and that’s why the Broncos have been hesitant to commit to him long-term.

      I agree with everything Clayton says about Marshall being a good fit in New England. He would be accountable to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, he would benefit from playing alongside Wes Welker and he would allow the Patriots to get younger at receiver – of course he’d be a great fit. But that doesn’t mean the Pats would want to fork over a draft pick (or multiple draft picks) and a new contract in order to acquire him from Denver. A lot would obviously go into a decision like that, including whether or not Marshall would behave himself after getting paid.


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      What’s next for Joey Porter?

      February 12, 2010 /

      After publicly stating that he would never wear a Dolphins jersey again, Joey Porter got his wish on Friday when Miami officially released the aging linebacker. The Dolphins are now off the hook for the $4.8 million that Porter was scheduled to make in 2010.

      Porter stated publicly last week that he wouldn’t mind playing for the Chargers, Cardinals or 49ers, although Arizona probably makes the most sense given that its coaching staff is most familiar with the outside ‘backer. Plus, I don’t see Mike Singletary and Porter meshing in San Francisco.

      In the end, Porter may wind up settling for whatever team shows interest. He turns 33 in March, can only play in a 3-4 and brings baggage to the table in the form of his attitude. Plus, this offseason should be quieter than usual because teams are preparing for a potential lockout in 2011, so there may not be a big market for him. (Not that there would be anyway, given that he’s not an every down player any more.)

      Porter essentially picked the worst offseason to open his mouth and cause waves, although teams are always in need of pass-rushers so he’ll land somewhere. Personally, I think Porter deserves the Raiders, but that’s just me.


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      Is Julius Peppers worth a huge contract?

      February 12, 2010 /

      There’s no doubt that Julius Peppers will cash in on this year’s free agent market and in what should be a quieter-than-usual offseason, the defensive end would certainly be a huge catch.

      But the question that all interested parties will inevitably be faced with is: Is Peppers even worth the price tag?

      Peppers can be explosive at the point of attack and uses his speed to get off the edge to create havoc in an opponent’s backfield. He has great size and speed and can use a variety of techniques to disengage blockers and pressure the pocket. He’s also a better run defender than people give him credit for and simply put, he’s an athletic freak.

      That’s the good, but here’s the bad. He has been known to take plays off, he’s highly inconsistent, and he can be unmotivated at times. He also just turned 30 and is the same player that virtually took an entire season off in 2007 when he finished with just 2.5 sacks (by far a career low) in 14 games.

      Consider these stats from RevengeoftheBirds.com:

      Age 32 is a bit of a brick wall for defensive ends. Twenty-nine defensive ends are in the top 50 for career sacks. Those ends averaged 10 sacks at age 30, 9.8 sacks at age 31, but only 7.3 sacks at age 32. Only eight of those 29 reached double digit sacks at 32 and four were Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Michael Strahan and Chris Doleman-four of the top five leaders in career sacks. They totaled 54.5 sacks at age 32. The remaining 24 totaled 150 sacks and averaged just 6.3 at age 32.

      Peppers is the best free agent on the market and given the position he plays, he might wind up becoming the highest paid defensive player in the league this offseason. But let’s assume that he’s the norm and not the exception when it comes to defensive ends. Is he worth the hefty price tag? Is it worth it for some team to fork over millions of dollars when he might only be productive for the next two years? Sure, he may average 10 sacks over the next two years, but what happens after that?

      I realize all of this is hypothetical, but given Peppers’ history of inconsistent play, age, and price tag, he might not be worth a long-term investment in the end. In fact, he probably won’t be.


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      Is Donovan McNabb worth a first round pick?

      February 12, 2010 /

      One of the hot topics this offseason will be whether or not the Eagles will trade one or two of their quarterbacks. Michael Vick is the most likely candidate to be dealt, but there’s also a possibility that Philly commits to Kevin Kolb and thus makes Donovan McNabb available as well.

      According to ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, the Eagles have told teams that both McNabb and Kolb are not available for trade, although it’s likely that the team is just saying that to maintain its leverage. Considering McNabb is 33, injury prone and consistently comes up short in the playoffs, there’s no doubt that Andy Reid will at least listen to offers for the veteran QB. Three years ago, the Eagles asked for two first round picks in exchange for McNabb and while he has diminished value today, the team reportedly still wants at least a first rounder.

      But is McNabb worth a first round pick? Well, that depends on what team it is. If the Bills or Rams are interested, then no, he isn’t. Neither Buffalo nor St. Louis is one Donovan McNabb away from competing, so acquiring a 33-year-old quarterback in exchange for a high draft pick would be unwise. Either one of those teams would be better off going with Vick, who is a low-risk, high-reward option at this point in his career because he could be had for a low draft pick.

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