Money Gone For Su

NFL free agents should look at Dolphins DL Ndamukong Su to see how money can just disappear.

Su bagged a 6 year/ $114 million contract in 2015, including a $60 million signing bonus. His salary cap this season was going to be $26.1 million, with a $2 million increase next year. There was no way they could commit to that much money.

We will see some crazy numbers this weeks, but very few players ever collect all the dollars they signed for.

Too Many Head Injuries

The Boston Globe had a great on-line story of concussions suffered by the Pats during their great Super Bowl run starting with the 2001 season.

The numbers are not good for 100 players reviewed. It seems like 40% report post-concussion symptoms from their playing days 15 years ago.

This is not good for the NFL. They want this story to go away.

The End of the League Year

Only the NFL could turn the Scouting Combine into a major interest for fans. The coverage by the NFL Network gets decent ratings.

Every player has their own story. Some will never get drafted or have a short career. There are a few players who will be with the Pats this season or maybe in five years.

The league moves on to the 2018 season.

March of Sherman

It was not a surprise that the Seattle Seahawks released CB Richard Sherman. After having two surgeries on his torn Achilles tendon, the team was not about to pay him $11 million. He is now a free agent.

Will he end up in Foxborough? Speculation has him coming here, but at what price?

The team should give him a 1 year/ $5 million contract, with added incentives to double that.

There is still a question whether he can get back to his prior level of being one of the best defensive backs in the league.

Head Numbers

The NFL has a problem with concussions and head trauma. They have taken many steps to establish a concussion protocol that is consistent at every game and stadium.

In 2017, medical personnel identified 281 incidents compared to 243 in 2016.

I think the system in place is doing a better job in identifying them. It's a far cry from pervious decades when they used the term "he had his bell rung". They are taken more seriously now. The goal should be to decrease the amount and to identify every time it happens.

No B&B In Foxborough

The Pats are no different from any other team. Players are being released in order to save money and increase salary cap space.

TE Martellus Bennett and DL Alan Branch are among the first to go. There was no way the team was going to pay them a roster bonus. If they want to play here in 2018, it will be at a greatly reduced price.

The Annual Spending Spree

Free agency starts on Monday. Large sums of money will be thrown at players who will never see all of it. They try to max out their signing bonus as a way to get the money up front.

There will be outrageous signings of players who are not worth it. Others will be waiting for a call that will never come. Their career is coming to an end. They just don't know it yet.

The End For Antonio Cromartie

After not playing in 2017, Antonio Cromartie retired from the NFL after 11 seasons. He had a productive career with the Chargers, Jets, Cardinal and Colts.

He will be best known for fathering 14 children with several different women.

How is his financial situation? He has been involved in child support issues in the past. What does the future hold for him?

I hope he is able to take care of his family.

Lamar Jackson

Louisville QB Lamar Jackson won the Heisman Trophy in 2016. In three seasons, he threw for more than 9,000 yards and rushed for more than 4,000.

There is talk at the NFL Scouting Combine that he should switch positions. Jackson said he has no plans to do so.

You can't blame him, considering the money they pay to quarterbacks. Even if he holds the clip board on the sidelines, he would be making pretty good money.

Not everyone can be a Julian Edelman who quickly switched positions from quarterback to receiver.

Waiting For Dollars

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is making a good decision by waiting to see how much Kirk Cousins signs for in the open market. Cousins will set the new standard for the position.

Things will fall into place once the new league year begins. Rodgers will get a ton of money. It's a question of how much.

Combine 2018

The NFL Scouting Combine is far from perfect. Not all of the 336 players invited will get drafted. Some will never even get a tryout with a team.

Many uninvited players will have their name called on draft day. It happens every year.

Alabama leads the list with 14 players attending, followed by Ohio State (11). Louisiana Tech and Georgia each sent 10.

It's a great chance to showcase talent, but bad personnel decisions will be made.

Too Much For Odell

Giants WR Odell Beckham has made it official. He wants a new contract paying him at least $20 million annually. Good luck with that on his part.

The team would be foolish to pay him that much money, but the salaries for quarterbacks are impacting the wage structure of the league.