Johnny Hype

I think QB Johnny Manziel is going to be a distraction for the Cleveland Browns. Owner Jimmy Haslam has anointed incumbent Brian Hoyer as the starter and said that Manziel will be a backup. This will come to a shock for the outspoken Manziel who is more interested in being a media star.

Hoyer was enjoying great success as the starter last season before he tore his ACL and had season-ending surgery. Will he be on a short leash? Will fans be clamoring for Manziel if the Browns get off to a slow start? I think Manziel is more hype than anything.

Who Plays Jeff Fischer In The Movie?

Football fans were able to see history made when the St Louis Rams drafted Michael Stam in the 7th round. The former SEC defensive player of the year probably had his draft stock fall when he announced he was openly gay. Most "experts" had him going in the 2nd or 3rd round prior to his disclosure. Some questioned his physical size.

Will his situation be a distraction to the Rams? Will it become a media circus when he reports to training camp? It certainly has the makings of a big story.

I hope Michael Stam makes the roster for opening day. It will be a long road with many challenges. Quite a story before it's over.

6B In Your Program

The worst thing about drafting QB Jimmy Garroppolo in the 2nd round is listening to people talk about it. Some "experts" have anointed him as Tom Brady's successor. TB is turning 37 in August and they need a succession plan and blah blah.

Nobody knows if this is the QB of the future. Is Ryan Mallet the guy? Will he be traded or leave at the end of the season as a free agent?

I'm sure the Pats did their homework on Garraoppolo, but that doesn't mean anything.

Everyone makes a big deal of the Pats taking Brady in the 6th round of the 2000 draft, but they did it with their second pick of the round.

Rolling The Dice In The First

The Pats rolled the dice with the selection of DL Dominique Easley in the first round of the draft. He was considered one of the best defensive line prospects until he had ACL surgery on both knees.

He had a very productive career at Florida State, but will he be able to stay on the field? Coach Belichick felt that it was worth a chance. They took one with Sebastian Vollmer a few years ago because of his back issues. Things worked out with him, although he missed a few games because of it.

I have a feeling that Easley will be a very productive player or a complete bust.

Running Backs Falling

The NFL draft has been filled with surprises. ESPN just mentioned that this is the latest in the history of the draft for a running back to be selected. None so far. 37 is the new record and counting.

Running backs were once the cream of the crop. Now, they are relegated to the 2nd and later rounds. They tend to have shorter careers. They also don't score big contracts in free agency.

Draft Night 2014

The NFL has really made a televised spectacle of the annual draft with so much pageantry and spreading it over three nights. All of the "experts" have weighed in with their "expertise". There will be many surprises and disappointments for the players.

ESPN brought in the Top 30  prospects and introduced them live on stage. With 32 teams to select, two first round picks will be waiting at home for a call. Some of these other guys will never make it to the stage tonight.

I think the Pats might try and trade up on the first round. I don't think they will trade out of the first, but you never know. We keep hearing all of these stories about QB Ryan Mallet.

Another Lineman To Consider

No team can ever have enough pass rushers. The Pats needed help in that area last season. The signing of veteran Will Smith might help if he makes the roster.

The Saints released Smith after 10 seasons with the team. In addition to returning from ACL surgery, he also carried a $14 million salary cap hit and was due $11.5 million in salary and bonuses.

Coach Belichick said that he was interested in Smith prior to the 2004 draft. It remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank. The Pats have a pretty good history of signing defensive linemen off the street with the likes of Tommy Kelly and Andre Carter last season.

Early Departure

We keep hearing about this year's draft class as being the deepest in talent in many years. That is likely due to the large amount of underclassmen declaring their intention for the draft. I don't blame them for wanting to get an early start on their career, but will they be ready physically and emotionally? There are 98 underclassmen this year compared to 56 back in 2011.

Young players are always the future of any NFL team, but many of them will come into the league with maturity issues. Many will have large amounts of money thrust into their hands for the first time in their life. For many of them, leaving college early will be a bad decision. Only time will tell.

A Big Long Shot

Every team is looking for players. They don't sign them if they don't think they have any chance at making their team.

The Super Regional Combine was held in Detroit over the weekend. The invitation-only tryout attracted a number of players, including Alejandro Villanueva of West Point. He served three tours with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan and is looking for one more chance after a brief tryout with the Bengals when he graduated.

Villaneueva played tight end at for Army and saw action on the offensive line and defensive end. He makes a formidable pass target at 6'9" and 277 pounds.

The Philadelphia Eagles signed him to a free agent contract. He now has his foot in the door to the NFL. It might be his best chance.

Number 8 In Your Program

Michael Vick will probably regret signing with the New York Jets, but he didn't have too many options. He appears to be the backup to Geno Smith unless he can beat him out in training camp. It's a big year for Vick to prove that he can still play in the NFL.

He won't be wearing his traditional number 7 which he has worn entire college and pro career. That number belongs to Geno Smith. As a veteran player, Vicks knows he is in no position to try and work a deal for the number. He will wear number 8.

I wonder if the Jets are printing up a lot of Vick shirts. They probably don't want to be stuck with a big inventory if things don't work out.

Security Costs

Cities that host the Super Bowl stand to gain a great deal of economic benefit, but it doesn't come with out a cost. Glendale, AZ will be hosting the game on Feb1 and is looking for financial assistance for its security expenses.

Back in 2008 when they hosted the game, they ran up a bill of $2.3 million. The cost for next year is expected to be over $3.2 million. City officials turned to the Arizona state legislature for assistance, but came away empty handed.

Who should pay for the cost? It's a national event. Should the federal government step in? The state has a responsibility to ensure safety of everyone at the game. Why don't they help?

Draft Hype

The NFL Network does a great job with the hype leading up to the draft. The league very skillfully moved the draft date into May when there isn't a lot of television competition. The draft gets great ratings.

There is so much hype before the draft. Some of it is nonsense, but I think it's great overall for the game.