Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Sunset For Wes


March 31st is usually considered the date that priority free agents are signed by. There are a number of prominent players on the outside looking in.

WR Wes Welker is facing the harsh reality that he is a player without a team and might be out of options unless he wants to sign for the veteran minimum.

He will turn 34 this season which is considered ancient in the NFL. His history of concussions does not endear him to many teams.

The hand writing is on the wall. The clock is ticking on the final days of his career.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Fake Crowds


The NFL is full of strange happenings. Why would the Atlanta Falcons use an audio file to pump crowd noise into their stadium? They found out the hard way when team president Richard McKay was removed from the league's Competition Committee and the team was fined $350,000. They will also lose a 5th round draft pick in 2016.

The team admitted to doing this in 2013 and 2014. It doesn't make any sense. Home teams often push the limits of their stadium music before the ball is snapped.

The games are exciting enough. They don't need any fake noise.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

A City Will Lose


NFL owners are excited about the possibility of two teams returning to the Los Angeles area, the nation's second largest television market. They are concerned that a generation of fans have grown up without a team in their area.

One city's loss is the gain for another. St Louis, Oakland and San Diego might be without a team in the future. There is little hope for future expansion.

These three cities have struggled to get public support to build a new stadium. I don't believe in holding a city hostage over who should pay the cost. Publicly funded stadiums are a black hole that have no long term financial benefits. The fans are caught in the middle. It's all about the money.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

How To End It


Tom Brady might be one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, but he doesn't always use common sense. For the second time, he has posted video of himself doing a cliff dive while on vacation.

Hopefully, he checked out the water for submerged rocks before he jumped. I thought there was a clause in his contract for reckless behavior. He did the same thing a couple of years ago.

If he wants to keep playing until he is 40, this is not the way to do it. He might play a role in ending his career.

Friday, March 27, 2015

PAT Time


The NFL appears to be determined to do something about the point after touchdown. The play is a joke with only a few misses over the last two seasons and a success rate of over 99%.

I like the idea to eliminate it completely and have teams go for two points from the two yard line. They are also thinking of moving the line of scrimmage further back for the kicking attempt.

It was tested in the Pro Bowl and a few kicks were missed. I think fans will like this new idea. At this point, the play is worthless for fans. The networks would be better taking a commercial break.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Bill's Cameras


Coach Belichick went on a tirade the other day at the owners meeting during a discussion about having cameras on the goal line, back of the end zone and side lines.

The proposal will be discussed in the future. Belichick criticized the league and called them cheap. He was totally correct. How much could this cost? It can't be that much for each stadium. I don't understand why they won't do this.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Julian's Rule


NFL owners passed a new rule that will place an observer in the press box during each game to watch for players who suffer from a head injury. This is in direct response to the case of Julian Edelman in the waning moments of the Super Bowl.

Edelman caught a crucial pass from Tom Brady, but sustained an obvious hit to his head. Nothing was done about it and he continued to play.

After the game, there was a great deal of criticism about the system that allows a player to keep playing. Now, the person in the booth will be able to notify the officials who will stop the game clock and have the player removed for medical observation.

It's all being done for the safety of the players. They can't be counted on to take themselves out of a game when the get a head injury.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Peyton's 39th


Peyton Manning turned 39 today. I hope he has a good season this year as far as his playing ability. I don't want him to ever beat the Pats, but hope he plays well.

How much longer will he play? It's year to year at this point. Unless he gets hurt, I think he will keep playing with the Broncos or some other team.

Monday, March 23, 2015

The Worst Father In The NFL


Antonio Cromartie and Darelle Revis will make a formidable tandem of cornerbacks for the New York Jets. They should give teams all sorts of trouble.

Cromartie is the last athlete who should be considered a role model. His child support issues were chronicled on the NFL Network's "Hard Knocks" back in 2010. He had a problem remembering all of his kids names.

He is back in the news with the mother of one of his kids over a custody battle. He has ten kids from eight mothers in six different states. He pays $3,500 monthly support for each child, except for the one that he has custody of. That one is being raised by Cromartie's mother.

There is nothing to be proud about here.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Using Sam


The NFL will broadcast their Free Agent Combine tonight in prime time. The event is a chance for players to display their skills in a hope of getting an invitation to a training camp.

Michael Sam, the first openly gay player will be there. He was the 2013 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, but fell to the late 7th round in the draft after announcing he was gay. He lasted until the final cut with the St Louis Rams and later spent time on the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys.

Sam never got another chance. It remains to be seen what will happen from here, but it hasn't stopped the NFL from using his image in one of its promotions for the telecast. They assume it will help draw viewers.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

The Biggest TE


It would be interesting to hear the comments from Coach Belichick concerning the playing skills of Baylor University 6'7" 410 pound OL LaQuan McGowan.

He caught an 18 yard TD pass in his team's loss to Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl. Some thought it was a gimmick play, but he was used as a TE in the team's spring scrimmage yesterday, catching another TD pass.

I watched the play on the NFL's website. He is a very powerful runner and wasn't brought down until he crossed the goal line. It appears he will be seeing more action as a TE during his senior year.

What will become of all this? He seems to have some pretty raw skills.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Get Your Program


The Pats will be employing a revolving door to bring in all of the cornerbacks they are signing. This is going to get very confusing between free agents, draft picks and unsigned free agents.

Fans can expect numerous personnel transactions before and during training camp. They will never replace Revis and Browning, but BB will have a plan in place before the season starts.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The End For Chris Borland


LB Chris Borland sparked a lot of talk on social media when he announced his retirement from the NFL after playing only one season. He had a stellar rookie year with the San Francisco 49er's, leading them in tackles.

He cited his concern of the long term health repercussions of playing in the NFL. He had two concussions prior to college and suffered one during training camp last summer.

He will walk away from a 4 year/$3 million contract, including a bonus of $617,736 of which he will need to return 75%. Borland feels comfortable with his decision. That is all that matters.

The game is risky for anyone who plays. It remains to be seen how the players of today will fare with their health in twenty years.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

New Goals For Vince


Nobody blames Vince Wilfork for signing with Houston after they offered him a 2 year/$9 million contract. In reality, only one year is guaranteed. He could face the same issue next year if the Texans fail to pick up his option.

He also needs to beat out the competition in training camp and be on the opening day roster to guarantee his salary for the season.

Vince is chasing one last big pay day. He might not end his career on his own terms.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Career Dims More


Tim Tebow had a workout with the Philadelphia Eagles, but left without a contract. In a league desperate for quarterbacks, it seems very strange that Tebow was not invited to any training camps last season or the Veteran Free Agent Combine this week.

Critics claim that his game isn't suited for the NFL, but why doesn't he get another chance? He should have played a year or two in the Canadian Football League just to build a resume and silence his critics. He chose not to and must now live with the results.

If he doesn't make it to training camp this season, it might be over for him.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Throwback Days


We will never know about the plan Coach Belichick has for replacing Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. They were key factors in the great defense played last season. He must have known that he might lose one or both players.

Will he seek help through the draft? That seems the best route right now, but we have seen how that worked out in the past with a lot of wasted second and third round picks.

Hopefully, fans don't see the days of Julien Edeleman playing defense.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Akeem Ayers


We can never feel bad for Akeem Ayers who had a great season last year with the Pats.

He was drafted in the 2nd round by the Tennessee Titans in 2011. They gave up on him in the fourth year of his contract and traded him to the Pats. It worked out great for everyone.

Akeem got a two year deal with the St Louis Rams as a free agent. He was a great player here.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Starting And Ending


Vince Wilfork said that he plans to play in 2015. Rumors say that he is receptive to returning to the Pats, but at what price?

He allegedly has three offers from AFC teams that would be for 2 years/$10 million. He must realize that he won't see the second year of any contract.

I think his best option is to take a pay cut and sign with the Pats. He should end his career where it started.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Better Deal For Him


It was no surprise to see Shane Vereen sign with another team. The Pats were not about to pay big money for a running back. They should be able to find one in the draft or among undrafted college players.

The New York Giants overpaid him at 3 years/$12.35 million. They expect him to be a big part of their offense. With the Pats, he averaged five carries per game. Over the last two seasons, he caught 99 balls for 874 yards.

His sidekick Steven Ridley is a man without a team after having season ending knee surgery. It came at the worst possible time and cost him millions in the end.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Revis Can Buy An Island


I never expected the Pats to offer Darrelle Revis a contract that he would agree to. The New York Jets wanted him so badly that they overpaid him with 5 years/$70 million. He will never see all of this money because he will be 35 by the time the contract ends.

There is no doubt that Revis had a big impact on the 2014 season. However, undrafted CB Malcolm Butler was the one who made the biggest play of the season in the Super Bowl win over Seattle.

A player like Revis is a game changer, but not with the Pats at the price he wanted. He will be replaced.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

The Most Cash


This is the last moment that the 2014 Pats team will be together, except for a future reunion. It appears that Vince Wilfork, Shane Vereen and Brandon Browner will have new teams this year.

I don't expect the Pats to sign Darrelle Revis. He had a great one year run with them, but the money from other teams is too much to turn down. He has a Super Bowl ring. It's all about accumulating money while he is at his highest value. I don't blame him.

Monday, March 9, 2015

The End For CJ2K


NFL teams will be signing free agents after 4pm today. It's the financial opportunity of a lifetime for many. Former Jets RB Chris Johnson is probably watching his career evaporate before his eyes.

He was released by the Jets after becoming a salary cap casualty. He whined about not being involved enough in the offense.

It looked like he might get an opportunity with another team, but his involvement in a drive-by shooting over the weekend in his hometown of Orlando, FL might put the end to that. He was shot in the shoulder along with another passenger and the driver who was killed.

All of this could make a team reluctant to spend money on a player who might get suspended. The former first round pick in 2008 seems a lifetime away from his brilliant season on 2009 when he rushed for 2,006 yards.

His final line will probably read; 8,628 rushing yards with 51 TD's. He also had 296 receptions for 2,154 yards and nine TD's.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Money King


Peyton Manning holds many NFL passing records. He also has been the highest compensated player in league history. He has always made top dollar.

As he enters his 18th season, he took a $4 million pay cut from the Denver Broncos. He has incentives in his contract to help him recoup the money.

It's easy to see why he wants to keep playing.

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Revis Time


I like the way the Pats are pursuing Darrelle Revis. It's very possible he could walk away for a king's ransom from another delusional team that is willing to guarantee too much money to a player.

The Pats are willing to see what Revis can get on the open market . They will either match it or move on. They have a bottom line on his cost.

Friday, March 6, 2015

The Future of Troy


It's looking bad for Troy Polamalu and his future with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has age, injuries and the salary cap working against him. He has been one of their stalwarts on defense since the team selected him as the 16th overall pick in the 2003 draft.

Polamalu has had an extraordinary tenure with the Steelers, winning two Super Bowls, five All-Pro selections and eight Pro Bowls.

Injuries have cost him 13 games over the last two seasons. His cap number is too high for them, as well as his age. Fans and team officials hope that he opts for retirement rather than releasing him.

He has indicated that he is unsure about his future. Will he join former defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau in Tennessee?

His future remains uncertain.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

The End For Vince


It was not a shock to see the Pats release Vince Wilfork after declining to pick up his contract options for 2015 and 2016. His salary cap hit was $8.6 million. It was just too much for the team to swallow for the 11 year veteran.

Vince posted an emotional farewell on his Twitter account. He claims he will play in 2015. Will he come back for less money? He will have the opportunity to test the market to see if he can grab one more big contract.

I expect him to end up on another team, assuming he gets his asking price. He was a great player and leader.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Ray Is Back


It was nice to see Ray Ventrone back with the New England Patriots as an assistant coach. He went undrafted in 2005, but carved out a 9 year career in the NFL as a player on special teams. Always a favorite of Bill Belichick who cut his coaching teeth on special teams.

Ray has great potential as a coach after closing out his playing career with the San Francisco 49er's. I'm sure BB put a lot of thought into this move.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Setting Value


It looks like the Pats will let Devon McCourty and Darrelle Revis test the market in free agency. That has been the team's strategy in the past. They let the player see what his worth is and then decide whether to match or exceed the offer.

If the Pats lose McCourty and Revis, there will be a big pushback from the fans, but the team needs to set a value on each player. They could potentially tie up too much money on just two players.

The Pats won't pay more than what they think a player is worth to them even if it's Revis and McCourty.

Monday, March 2, 2015

His Money Woes


WR Dez Bryant is probably grumbling about having the franchise tag placed on him by the Dallas Cowboys. After negotiating for the last year, Bryant and the team were unable to agree on a long term contract.

Dez will make almost $13 million in guaranteed salary for 2015. He left money on the table by not reaching a deal. I'm sure his contract demands were very high.

I think the Cowboys were reluctant to commit money to a player that has a spotty record off the field. They want to see him free of controversy.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

The Big Decision


NFL teams need to use the franchise tag on their respective player by 4pm tomorrow. The Pats, like most teams, are holding their cards close to the vest. Will it be Stephen Gotskowski or Devon McCourty? It makes the most sense for either of them.

Meanwhile, stories are surfacing about players who will be released. Every year there are big names mentioned. Some careers will end. Other players will hit a financial jackpot in free agency.

Plenty of surprises are ahead for players and fans.