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      2012 NFL Free Agency: Breaking down the Quarterbacks

      February 17, 2012 /
      Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn takes a moment in between plays during the second half of their NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Green Bay, Wisconsin January 1, 2012. REUTERS/Darren Hauck (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Free agency in the NFL begins on March 13 and leading up to that date I’ll go position by position while highlighting the best players, best bargains, as well as the riskiest investments. Let’s start with the quarterbacks.

      Best in Class: Drew Brees, Saints
      While his agent Tom Condon is “baffled” by how slowly long-term contract negations have been going with the Saints, Brees is highly unlikely to land outside of New Orleans this offseason. In addition to breaking Dan Marino’s single-season passing record with 5,476 yards, Brees also set league records for completions (468) and completion percentage (71.2 percent) in 2011. If he were to hit the free agent market, there would be a mad scramble of teams willing to break the bank for his services. But again, all indications are that he’ll wind up back in New Orleans, ready to terrorize NFL defenses again in 2012.

      The Biggest Risk: Matt Flynn, Packers
      Flynn completed 31 of his 41 pass attempts for 480 yards with six touchdowns in just one start last season versus the Lions, which understandably turned some heads. But was his performance a product of the offense that he was running or is Flynn a bona fide starter that deserves a chance to shine? Everyone looks good driving a Cadillac but 480 yards and six touchdowns is 480 yards and six touchdowns. Quarterbacks don’t put up those kinds of numbers by accident, I don’t care what defense they were playing against. The Dolphins seemingly make the most sense to sign Flynn because they hired former Green Bay offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as head coach. But with Mike Sherman now the OC in Miami, the Dolphins could lean towards prospect Ryan Tannehill instead. (Tannehill was Sherman’s quarterback at Texas A&M the past few years.) Either way, there are plenty of quarterback-starved teams that could be interested in Flynn’s skill set. Which team will take the risk is the question.

      The Best Value: Jason Campbell, Raiders
      Given the ransom that former head coach Hue Jackson parted with in order to acquire Carson Palmer from Cincinnati last year, it’s highly likely that Campbell will be searching for his third home in the last three years. But at 30 he still has plenty left in the tank. A broken collarbone limited him to just six games last season but he had resumed throwing again back in December and will be completely healthy by the time OTAs start. While he’s never been a quarterback that can win on his own, surround Campbell with enough talent and he’s more than capable of getting the job done. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he’s got great size and has always thrown a nice deep ball. He was also on his way to having one of his best seasons in the pros before he was injured last season. The biggest question is whether or not he can stay healthy moving forward because if he can, he’s proven that he can be productive in the right environment.

      The Rest…
      David Garrard would be worth a look as a backup and Kyle Orton fits the same mold as Campbell in that if a team surrounds him with enough talent, he can be productive. I wouldn’t touch Chad Henne with a 10-foot pole but he’s available, as is Detroit backup Shaun Hill, who like Henne does have starting experience. Vince Young is perhaps the biggest wildcard on the market but if no team wanted him as a starter last year, he’ll find it tough sledding again this offseason. While he’s likely to wind up back in San Francisco with a new deal, Alex Smith is a free agent as well.

      External Sports, NFL, NFL Free Agency

      Drug scandal rocks TCU football program

      February 16, 2012 /
      TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson (C) celebrates defeating the Wisconsin Badgers at the end of the 97th Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, California January 1, 2011. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      According to several published reports, four football players were among 17 TCU students arrested on drug charges Wednesday. An arrest warrant for one of the players also alleges that at least three players were dealing drugs.

      Three of the four players arrested were from Gary Patterson’s defense, including junior linebacker Tanner Brock, junior safety Devin Johnson, and junior defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey. Sophomore tackle Tyler Horn was the lone offensive player.

      Brock entered the 2011 season as a starter and was regarded as one of the team’s best defenders after leading the Horned Frogs in tackles with 106 in 2010. But the former All-Mountain West player hurt his ankle in September and missed the rest of the season.

      Here are more details about the arrest courtesy of an ESPN report:

      The investigation continued for several months, and on Jan. 18, the officer asked to purchase a half-ounce of marijuana from Yendrey. The warrant states that Yendrey said he was out, but a friend could get the drugs. The officer then was able to buy marijuana from a man who turned out to be Brock.

      The officer allegedly again bought marijuana from Brock a few days later. On Feb. 1, the officer was alerted by the TCU police force that the football team was surprised with a drug test. The officer contacted Brock and spoke about the test on the phone.

      The officer went to Brock’s residence and bought $220 worth of marijuana, according to the warrant. The officer told Brock that the drug test was “bull—-,” and Brock responded, “I failed that b—- for sure.”

      According to the warrant, Brock said that he wasn’t worried because there “would be about 60 people being screwed.” Brock is alleged to have said that he and Horn had looked over the TCU roster and concluded that only about 20 players could pass the test.

      The officer then asked Brock if he could get him any Xanax or hydrocodone pills. According to the warrant, Brock said he knew a girl who could get them and that he used to buy pills from two other football players, but they had graduated.

      Per the report, TCU released a statement late Wednesday afternoon that said the school tests its athletes for drug use “on a regular basis.” Thus, it’s unclear at this point whether or not Brock embellished the number of players that would have been able to pass the drug test.

      Either way, TCU has become the latest college football program to come under major scrutiny.

      College Football, External Sports

      2012 NFL Draft: Breaking down the Running Backs

      February 15, 2012 /

      Throughout the next couple of months I’ll take a look at each position group leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft. After previewing the quarterbacks last week, today I break down the running backs.

      Alabama Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson (3) scores a 34 yard touchdown in the second half of the BCS College Football Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 9, 2012. Alabama won the game 21-0. UPI/David Tulis

      The Best in Class: Trent Richardson, Alabama
      At 5-foot-11 and 224 pounds, Richardson is built to withstand the pounding at the NFL level. He has strong legs, a muscular lower half, and runs with a combination of power and explosion. He essentially is everything a power running team looks for in a lead back, which is why some believe he’s the best running back prospect to come out since Adrian Peterson. As of this date, Richardson is the only running back in this year’s class that is projected to be selected in the first round. He’s the real deal and can be viewed as a workhorse in Year 1.

      The Challenger: David Wilson, Virginia Tech
      Honestly, there is no “challenger” to Richardson. It’s Trent Richardson and then there’s everybody else, although that isn’t intended to be a knock on the rest of the backs in this year’s draft. There are several backs that are projected to go in the second round or third round that could contribute as rookies. Wilson, for example, isn’t a very big back at 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds, but he runs stronger than you’d think for a guy his size. He has excellent explosion, balance and quickness, and runs a 4.42 to Richardson’s 4.52. While he’ll need to work on being a more patient runner, Wilson should contribute as a rookie and could start in his second year assuming he learns how to pick up the blitz.

      Don’t Sleep On: Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M
      Gray will likely never be an every down workhorse in the NFL like Richardson is projected to be, but that shouldn’t matter much. The NFL is a passing league now and a backfield committee approach is quickly becoming the norm. Gray isn’t very dynamic but he’s a natural runner with very good instincts who can decipher information quickly. He also possesses good balance and has the size to take a pounding at the next level. Again, he may not be a lead back but he can be productive as the second runner in a two-back system. He’s projected to go somewhere in the third round.

      Mid-Round Sleeper: LeMichael James, Oregon
      More quick-footed than fast, James will draw comparisons to Falcons’ 2011 fifth-round pick Jacquizz Rodgers because of his scat back abilities. James will be severely limited as an inside runner but put him in the hands of a creative offensive coordinator and he could be a weapon on third downs. He’s a natural pass catcher and his vision allows him to find daylight quickly. He constantly makes defenders miss in open space and he also has experience on special teams as a return man. Oregon’s all-time leader in rushing (4,923) and rushing touchdowns (52), James is worth a flier in the middle rounds (fourth – sixth) for a team looking to add more playmakers on offense.

      College Football, External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Yoenis Cespedes’ deal with A’s has Billy Beane written all over it

      February 14, 2012 /
      Billy Beane, general manager of MLB’s Oakland A’s arrives at the gala presentation for the film ‘Moneyball’ at the 36th Toronto International Film Festival September 9, 2011. REUTERS/Mike Cassese (CANADA – Tags: ENTERTAINMENT SPORT BASEBALL BUSINESS)

      Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s shocked the MLB world on Monday when they agreed to a four-year, $36 million contract with free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes from Cuba. The move was rather surprising considering the A’s weren’t mentioned among the group of teams that were interested in signing Cespedes over the last few weeks.

      The deal was also surprising when you consider that the A’s are supposed to be a cap-strapped organization. While there’s no doubt that a relative unknown like Cespedes is worth the risk for an Oakland club that is desperate for offense, the A’s have multiple holes to fill before they’re competitive again. Thus, it raised some eyebrows that Oakland was willing to give Cespedes more money than what the Reds handed Aroldis Chapman ($30.25 million over six years) back in January 2010. Chapman, of course, was the last Cuban player that was pursued by MLB teams.

      Then again, this Cespedes deal has Beane written all over it.

      Ken Rosenthal tweeted on Tuesday that Cespedes’ contract with the A’s does not include a no-trade clause. So in other words, if he becomes a star player down the road and Oakland doesn’t think it can re-sign him long-term, Beane can dangle the outfielder in front of as many teams as he wants. If Cespedes becomes an All-Star, Beane can complete one of his trademark deals where he unloads one player for multiple prospects, all while saving the Oakland organization money in the process.

      There’s a chance that the A’s are starting to loosen the Kung fu grip they have on their checkbooks and want to build a competitive team centered around Cespedes and their young pitching. But knowing how Oakland and Beane have operated over the years, it wouldn’t be surprising if Cespedes’ name came up in trade talks sooner rather than later.

      External Sports, MLB

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