Dreaded Roster Cuts

Teams must reduce their rosters to 53 by 4pm on next Tuesday and to 53 on Saturday. Many veterans will be given their walking papers. Some will get a chance with another team, but others will become "street players", hoping to get one more call.

The Pats will be like all of the other teams. Hard decisions will be made. Some will get their last chance during their team's third preseason game.

As Coach Belichick always says, the final 53 will not be the ones who finish the season.

Fans Angry At Vick

I thought it was a good idea that the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Michael Vick to be their backup to Ben Roethlisberger.

We all know about Vick's past. Some Steeler fans have greeted the signing with outrage to the point where 20,000 of them have joined a petition to protest it.

Coach Mike Tomlin was shocked at their reaction and expressed his thoughts about it. Some fans are never going to forgive Vick no matter what.

They Say It Will Be 2019

A local sports talk show must be getting tired of talking about Deflategate because they are now speculating on how much longer Coach Belichick plans to do his thing.

During an interview in 2009, he said he didn't want to be like Marv Levy of the Bills and coach into his 70's. This has fueled thought that he might be near the end, especially if Tom Brady retires in a few years.

This entire discussion is a waste of time. A couple of "experts" feel that he will call it quits after the 2019 season because he will have 20 years with the Pats and 45 as a coach in the league.

These guys should go back to talking about Deflategate.

Let Him Wear #15

WR Reggie Wayne is one of those players that Coach Belichick has coveted for many years. The Pats finally signed him, but will be make the final 53 man roster?

This reminds me of when they signed Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson. He was never able to master the playbook and had a minimal impact on the team.

A few years ago, the Pats signed future Hall of Fame safety John Lynch, but he never made it out of training camp and retired.

A local sports writer mentioned that Rob Gronkoski should give his number 87 to his new teammate who wore it with the Colts. He is currently wearing number 15 since joining the Pats.

It would be one thing if Gronk was a rookie or journeyman. He has earned his stripes in the league and is marching towards Canton. There is no reason to surrender his number to a guy who might not even be on the opening day roster.

Vick's Last Stand

Michael Vick has reached a point where he is without a team. He was in Pittsburgh for a meeting with the Steelers. At this stage, his best option is to be a backup somewhere.

They might be a good fit as backup QB Bruce Gradkowski will be out for an extended period with a finger injury.

Vick is 35, but still has something left. He is fighting to keep this from being the end. He wants to leave on his terms.

Rex In No Hurry

Going into the third preseason game, teams like to know who will be their starting quarterback. The Houston Texans announced that Brian Hoyer has won the job over Ryan Mallet. Hoyer will be the starter, but will be on a short leash.

Meanwhile in Buffalo, Rex Ryan is taking his time to make his decision. He needs to choose from Matt Cassel, Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel. Each player brings their own unique skills to the huddle.

Rex said that his decision will be made a few days before their opening game. It's probably not the best way to proceed, but Rex does his own thing.

Wayne's World

If you stay around long enough in the NFL, you will eventually get kicked to the curb. We are seeing that with former Colts WR Reggie Wayne.

In spite of being 6th all-time in receptions and 8th for yards, the Colts had no desire to keep him for the 2015 season.

A number of teams expressed interest, but nothing worked out. He had surgery for a torn triceps muscle from an injury last season.

He was in Foxborough today for a physical. His name has been mentioned a number of times in the past. He finally made it here. This might be his last stop on a brilliant career.

Paranoid Peyton

Peyton Manning and his former coach Tony Dungy are now talking about their concern that the Colts locker room was bugged whenever they played the Pats at Gillette Stadium.

Their concern was such that they would often whisper or talk in the hallways. The Colts allegedly had the room swept for listening devices before every game.

This seems to be a bit of a reach and sounds more like sour grapes from two guys who had little success against Belichick and Brady.

Ryan's Issue

Eli Manning is denying that he wants to be the highest paid player in the NFL. He has been involved in negotiations for a contract extension, but claims it never came from him or his agent.

Manning's situation has a big impact on backup QB Ryan Nassib who is under contract with the team through 2016. He has thrown only five regular season passes. Manning has started 167 straight games and shows no signs of slowing down.

If the Giants commit long term to Manning, where does this leave Nassib after 2016? He would be foolish not to test the open market. He needs to get some playing time to establish a market for himself in the future.

Erik Kramer

After surviving an attempted suicide, former NFL QB Erik Kramer could become the voice of players who are dealing with brain injuries in retirement.

Kramer was found in a California motel room after police were dispatched to do a wellness check. He was suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His ex-wife believes the suicide attempt was a result of brain damage while playing in the NFL. She claims he suffered from depression since his time with the Chicago Bears which ended in 1998.

Kramer played 13 seasons, including four in the CFL. In 83 games (67 starts), he was 31-36 with a 57.3% completion rate and 92 TD's.

What will his life be like after he recovers? Will he talk about it? He has a chance to help other players if he tells his story.

Seven Months

There was another courtroom meeting in New York City today, but nothing was resolved in Tom Brady's four game suspension.

Today is the seven month anniversary of the start of Deflategate. Who ever thought it would get to this point? There is no resolution in sight.

It would be interesting to see the total cost of this in the end. It's great job security for all the lawyers involved.

Drag Time

Tom Brady was not with the team today as he was in New York City for talks with Commissioner Roger Goodell about his four game suspension. There will be another courtroom hearing tomorrow, but Brady probably won't be there.

Nothing got done today according to sources. It doesn't appear it will be resolved by tomorrow. It looks like it's headed to Sept 4th when the judge can either issue a ruling or let this drag on.

Tebow 15

It seems like QB Tim Tebow is third or fourth on the Philadelphia Eagles depth chart. He finally had a chance to play against the Colts after sitting out the last two seasons. Doe he have a chance to make the roster?

He completed 6 of 12 passes for 69 yards and had a TD on a 15 yard run. His versatility is the key for him grabbing a spot. He wants to play quarterback, but his running ability might help him stick.

Tyler Gaffney

It's a long road for many players to get to the NFL. It's one thing to be in training camp, but another to actually be on the game day roster.

RB Tyler Gaffney will be spending his second season on Injured Reserve. The only positive thing is that he has service credit for two seasons.

He was drafted in 2014 by the Carolina Panthers as the overall 204th selection. He hurt his knee in training camp and was released. The Pats claimed him off waivers and stashed him on their IR list.

Things were looking good for 2015 until he got injured in the first week of camp. The Pats waived him, but all teams passed. He will spend another season on IR with an uncertain future.

Rex Belonged There

I read excerpts from an interview with Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan which will be aired next week on HBO. I agree with his comments about his firing at the end of last season.

He said the whole thing was orchestrated by the media who backed owner Woody Johnson into the corner and demanded the firing of GM John Idzak and Ryan.

Rex claims he is still close to Johnson and could have coached the team for 20 years. He was made for the Big Apple. I was disappointed to see the Jets get rid of him.

He has excited the Bills fan base with his larger than life personality. He is good for the NFL.

The Road To Mistakes

The Pats lost to Green Bay last night in their first preseason game, but the score doesn't really matter. As Coach Belichick said, a lot of players were on the field. They got valuable experience.

There is competition for many positions. The games give the coaching staff more feedback on each player. Some of them will be evaluated on only a few snaps.

Every team makes wrong decisions when it comes to keeping or releasing players. It happens every season.

The Pack Is Back In Town

It's less than two hours before kickoff for the first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. How much action will Tom Brady see tonight? Most of the starting offensive line is injured. It's almost pointless to put Brady out there.

Coach Belichick really needs to get a good look at Jimmy Garapollo, but the Packers will have their second and third string defense on the field.

The only goal tonight for both teams should be to keep players from getting hurt while giving snaps to those who really need them.

Those Crazy Jets

The New York Jets continue their "No Ring Circus" with their latest nonsense. QB Geno Smith will miss 6-10 weeks after having his jaw broken by LB Ik Enemkpali in a locker room fight.

The issue involved a $600 airline ticket which Smith owed to Enemkpali. Coach Tod Bowles compared the situation to a bunch of sixth graders, but Jets fans must wonder if the coach has control of his team.

The Jets immediately released Enemkpali. In a touch of irony, Rex Ryan signed him up today for the Buffalo Bills.

Ryan Fitzpatrick moves to the starting role. Where does this leave Smith? This was a critical year for him. He was already on a short leash. Smith might not get back on the field if Fitzpatrick does well.

Mick Tingelhoff

The selection process for the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio seems flawed at times. Great players, especially from the past, get overlooked. The committee tries to rectify it by selecting a couple annually.

Mick Tingelhoff of the Minnesota Vikings is a great example. He waited 37 years for his induction. It came at the age of 75 while he has been battling health issues, including memory loss.

At the last minute, he decided to have former teammate Fran Tarkenton speak for him. It lasted a little over a minute and got a standing ovation.

Tingelhoff played in 240 consecutive games over a 17 year career. He never missed a start or practice. Players back then got concussions on a regular basis, but stayed in the game.

We see the long terms effects on a player like him. The late Junior Seau already had signs of CTE in his brain before he committed at 43 in 2012.

It would have been nice if Tingelhoff gave his own speech, but he was not up to it.

Not Ready For Canton

Players need to have confidence if they plan to survive in the NFL. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson went over the top with his recent boasting about wanting to be the greatest player ever and getting to the Hall of Fame.

With 10,190 career yards, he ranks 28th on the all-time list. He has a chance to make it into the top ten if he stays healthy and gains 2,000 more yards.

He turns 30 this season which is old for his position. Peterson is a great player, but probably won't make it to Canton.

Surviving Camp

The Pats are like most teams around the league with too many players on the injury report. They had 22 players with limited practice participation. Coach Belichick has voiced his concern about having everyone on the field.

The league needs to find the right balance for contact practices. Teams are going into the regular season without being fully prepared.

The goal of training camp is to evaluate players while installing their offense and defense. Every team will lose a couple of players to Inured Reserve in the process. It happens all the time.

A Real Injury

Pats fans never really know the extent of player injuries. Coach Belichick does a great job in keeping it private.

We heard that RB Legarette Blount suffered knee injury at yesterday's practice and will miss a few of the exhibition games.

I was at practice yesterday and saw the whole thing. Blount got tangled in a group and fell to the ground clutching his knee. He remained on his back for about five minutes while in obvious pain. He looked like someone who just realized his season was over.

He has been diagnosed with a knee sprain. Hopefully, that is the extent of his injury. It looked real bad to me.

Private Tom

Just when Deflategate couldn't get any crazier, we are seeing the release of Tom Brady's emails and texts that reveal the private side him. Many of them have nothing to do with football.

His comments about Peyton Manning will live forever. Maybe they will laugh about it some day.

Down Goes Foster

The recent injury to RB Arian Foster of the Houston Texans shows how precarious training camp can be. The Pats saw it yesterday when Julien Edeleman got banged up on a play and sat out the rest of practice.

The goal of every team should be to get through training camp and the four preseason games without losing anyone to IR, but that rarely happens. Most teams lose at least one or two players before the season starts.

Foster will have surgery on his groin and be placed on IR with the stipulation to return after the first eight weeks of the season. It remains to be seen if he returns to form.

Brady Is Now 38

Tom Brady turned 38 yesterday and left fans wondering how much longer he can play. Other than his knee injury in 2008, he has stayed healthy.

Very few players ever make it to their 16th season. He is definitely playing on borrowed time. He always says he wants to play until he is 40. Can he last three more seasons?

Rex and the City

Rex Ryan is taking the Buffalo Bills fans by storm. He is just what they needed after missing out on the playoffs for the last 15 seasons.

During a press conference, he all but said that GM John Idzak and owner Woody Johnson were not on board during his final season with the Jets.

Rex is not making any ridiculous claims like he did in his rookie coaching season, but he is entertaining like always.

Banner Days

It started on the first day of training camp when a small plane flew a banner over the practice field that said "Cheaters look up". On the next day, there was a pro-Brady one.

Now, someone just flew over Roger Goodell's house in Maine with one that told him to go home.

The banners are funny, but childish. It's someone who wants to draw attention. These flights aren't cheap.