New England Patriots, NFL

National Football League: What Is Your Team Looking For In Training Camp?

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As training camps open throughout the NFL every team approaches the season with a different objective in mind. The Lombardi Trophy would be the ultimate goal for everyone, but for many teams that is unobtainable (yes, I know they all start on a level playing field…but really?) Let’s take a quick look around the NFL at last year’s haves and have-nots.

BOTTOM OF THE LADDER – 5 WINS OR LESS (2014)

JACKSONVILLE, TENNESSEE, OAKLAND, WASHINGTON, TAMPA, CHICAGO, NEW YORK JETS 

These seven teams combined for a total of just 23 wins, with Chicago (5-11) leading the pack. All seven are thin at many positions and keep searching to find the formula that will push them into contention. Training camp is more important for them as they take a look at their weaknesses and need as much time as they can get to scrutinize all the players available to take the next step.

Fans of the Jets (4 wins) and Bears will argue they are on the cusp of being a legitimate threat, possibly with a new QB, as they view their teams through “rose colored glasses” (known as the Jeff Kane perspective – Patriots Beat, 2014).  For the first time since he arrived in Chicago six years ago, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is in a vulnerable situation. Head coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace, will have him on a short leash and are under no obligation to keep Cutler beyond 2015.

Jay Cutler may be on the way out in Chicago (photo: Google Images)

Everyone in this group has serious flaws and to expect a turnaround to double-digit wins in one season is setting expectations high. Yes, off-season signings may have helped, but history tells us the odds are strong that most of them will once again bring up the rear end of their division.

The Jets have had the most improvement in talent, but are playing in a division that, with the exception of New England, has stepped up in the off-season. With a new Head Coach (Todd Bowles) and no proven QB (I’m being kind) it’s hard to see them leap frogging Buffalo and Miami, let alone the Super Bowl Champion Patriots.

MIDDLE OF THE PACK – 6 TO 9 WINS 

MIAMI, CLEVELAND, NY GIANTS, MINNESOTA, ATLANTA, CAROLINA, NEW ORLEANS, SAN FRANCISCO, ST. LOUIS, KANSAS CITY, SAN DIEGO, HOUSTON, BUFFALO

The unlucky thirteen need training camp to check who will or won’t be an asset in 2015. Many players will be “on-the-bubble” for this group. In a league that prides itself on competitive balance it’s no surprise they make up the largest percentage of teams in the NFL.

Some teams are on the way up (Houston, Miami and Buffalo???) and are looking at training camp as a chance to see improvement from veterans as well as analyze their youngsters. Others are striving to regain prominence (Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, San Francisco, NY Giants, Carolina, San Diego) and are hoping their veterans are ready to bounce back, some from injuries others from off years, and will use camp to see if they have filled the holes that weren’t apparent until too late in 2014.

Is Johnny Football ready to set aside his demons and become a true NFL Quarterback? (Photo: DallasNews.com)

The remaining three (Cleveland, Atlanta, Minnesota) are working to assure they won’t drop into the bottom rung, where they have all resided in past seasons. Training camp will be used to evaluate key players and positions that could make or break their ability to move up, or, more than likely, fall further in the standings.

Looking at this group, Houston, Miami and Buffalo all look ready to step up. The strength of division/schedule will have an impact, as both Miami and Buffalo play in a dramatically improved AFC East while Houston has only the Colts to contend with in the AFC South (not sure how Indianapolis is in the south…but I digress).

The Bills have serious question marks on offense, but their defense could be the strongest in the league. One player they are looking at for a boost on offense is Charles Clay. The Bills paid Clay nearly as much as Rob Gronkowski and Julius Thomas hoping he can be the blocking and receiving tight end that makes Roman’s offense tick.

Playing in the exceptionally weak NFC South, where Carolina won the division with an ugly 7-8-1 record, will certainly help not only the Panthers, but also New Orleans and Atlanta.

CONTENDERS/PRETENDERS – 10 TO 14 WINS

NEW ENGLAND, PITTSBURGH, CINCINNATI, BALTIMORE, INDIANAPOLIS, DENVER, DALLAS, PHILADELPHIA, GREEN BAY, DETROIT, SEATTLE, ARIZONA

This grouping often has fewer needs and are just hope to get out of training camp without any major injuries. Odds are the next Super Bowl will be played by two of the 12 teams in this group.

New England, last year’s Super Bowl winner, looks to have more question marks then you would expect after losing many key parts from their championship team. With those holes to fill, especially in the secondary, you know teams (and fans) are chomping at the bit to step on them while they are regrouping.

Yes, the Pats could be vulnerable early, especially if QB Tom Brady is out for 4 games. but Head Coach Bill Belichick has led New England to 12 straight winning seasons, so don’t dig the grave too quickly. Commissioner Roger Goodell has just issued his decision to keep the penalty the same, so the courts will now decide if Brady’s sentence fits the supposed crime.

Teams unlikely to repeat their 2014 performance include:

The remaining eight will fight to prove their worth and use training camp to test veterans that may have reached the downside of their careers, draft picks who could step in, free agent signings and those always exciting un-drafted free agents. Training camp is a bother more than need for most of of the chosen few.

Look for the teams that have done it before, can overcome issues and have solid veteran leadership to once again step up and reach for “THE RING.”

My pre-season picks (Lord, its way too early for this to mean anything) are…drum roll please…the angry, hated, underdog New England Patriots (confession time, that pick is with my heart not brain) taking on the always tough Green Bay Packers, for the Lombardi Trophy.

Could this be the 2015 Season Super Bowl Match-Up

To read full articles from the original sources, just click on the blue highlighted portions of this article. The opinions expressed in this article are strictly mine and open for discussion.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots

Brady’s Pissed, Be Ready NFL

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With the whole aftermath of the “Deflategate” scandal there is only one thing that is safe to say, Tom Brady is pissed and the NFL should be worried. Brady is one of the most competitive players in the NFL and in all sports as a whole and giving him more fuel to add to the fire won’t be good for the Patriots opposing teams in 2015 and maybe even beyond.

The league is trying to tarnish Brady’s name and legacy, something he has worked hard for since coming into the NFL and even before during his college days at Michigan. Brady has set numerous records as well as four Super Bowl Championships and other accolades and accomplishments throughout his career.

via bostonherald.com
via bostonherald.com

Going into last season  Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus stated that Tom Brady was no longer a top five quarterback, which was widely viewed by people as a bit of an over statement. With the statement from Monson and after a rough first month of the season including a 41-14 blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs where the now famous words from Trent Dilfer, “The New England Patriots, lets face it there not good anymore”, you could tell Brady was determined and pissed. The next week Brady and the Patriots went on to put a beat down on the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals which set the tone for the rest of the season and made Dilfer eat his words on the way to the teams fourth Super Bowl title. No one was second-guessing Brady’s ability to continue to play at a high level and to continue to be the best quarterback in the game.

This isn’t the first time Brady has been pissed off regarding people talking about him or the Patriots. How about in 2007 when Steelers safety Anthony Smith guaranteed a victory against the Patriots. Brady heard, and made Smith amongst the rest of the Steelers look foolish. Brady scored on a rushing touchdown where he proceeded to spike the ball and chirp at Anthony Smith while doing so. Brady also was targeting Smith all game throwing at him and Smith could do nothing about it, most notably the famous Brady to Moss to Brady to Gaffney touchdown pass (one of my all-time favorite plays). Another example of if you make Brady mad you’re going to pay for it. We’ve seen Brady’s intensity and passion on the sidelines many times before and I expect him to play with that even more than usual during the 2015 season.

via nesn.com
via nesn.com

Former teammate Rodney Harrison and current teammate Julian Edelman have talked about Brady being mad about this whole situation and how the NFL is adding fuel to the fire, giving Brady more of a reason to be great and excel on the field and to show the league that he is the best quarterback to play the game and a true winner.

via zimbio.com
via zimbio.com

So once Brady’s suspension is exonerated and he is allowed to play in all 16 games of the regular season and he is going to be out to make a point and to quiet the league and its fans. Brady is going to be shattering records this year, Brady could be so mad the Patriots may not run the ball this year. LaGarrette Blount is suspended the first game of the year and it may not even matter Brady could throw the ball 50 times per game just to make a statement to the sports world. So a quick little thank you to the NFL, once this whole mess with Brady is fixed and cleared up and he is out there on opening night it wont be a pretty sight for the Steelers and every other opponent the Patriots play in 2015 and is giving Tom even more of a reason to get ring number five this season.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Eight Players Placed On Physically Unable To Perform List

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Late Monday afternoon the New England Patriots placed eight players on the physically unable to perform list, (PUP). This means that due to injury these players won’t be ready for the start of training camp. These players are Dominique Easley, Dane Fletcher, Brandon LaFell, Ryan Wendell, Matthew Slater, Chris Jones, Chris White, and Vince Taylor. In addition, quarterback Matt Flynn was added to the non-football injury list.

Jan 1, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn (10) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE
Foxsports.com

Players can be taken off the list at any time, and more can be added. Don’t be surprised to see players such as Chandler Jones, Jerod Mayo, and Dont’a Hightower be added to the list seeing how they were all absent from OTA’s and minicamp. They are all reportedly recovering from offseason surgeries.

Most of the players currently on the list won’t be hurt by missing time. For the most part they are all veterans who have established roles on the team. However, somebody like Dominique Easley may be hurt by missing time. For the majority of the offseason he has been looked upon as a player that was on the brink of a breakout season.

Now that Easley will be missing the start of camp it will further delay his progression. Last year was basically a red-shirt for him in the National Football League, as he was only available for eleven games. Even in that time he wasn’t nearly as effective as he was in college. I certainly wouldn’t write off Easley’s season just yet, but it is definitely cause for concern that his knee injury from 2013 is still causing him to miss time.

On the bright side, Ryan Wendell’s absence can be seen as a good thing by Patriots fans who have a, “glass half full” mentality. The most under looked position of need in Foxborough this year is the guard position. With Dan Connolly retiring, the Patriots now have to scrap pieces together, as they have done so many times before, and put together a serviceable interior unit.

With Wendell sidelined to start camp, it will give players such as Josh Kline, Shaq Mason, and Tre Jackson valuable first team reps. That is very valuable early on in training camp as we learned last season when a player like Jordan Devey was thrown into the fire in September. The result was Tom Brady spending the majority of his time on the turf. I expect to see much of that this coming September as well. It wouldn’t hurt to still have Logan Mankins still around would it.

washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com

Rookies Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason will benefit most from Wendell’s absence. It is more probable than not that Tre Jackson will be a starter at some point this coming season. It may not come in week one, but when Josh Kline or Jordan Devey once again get exposed, he will be forced into action like Bryan Stork was least season. Also, Jackson seems to have a great skill set for a guard. At 6-4, 326 pounds he is massive in size and he has meat cleaver like hands that can pack a punch.

Shaq Mason is a bit undersized. He may be more of a work in progress given the fact that he is transitioning from center to guard. Nevertheless, the experience can’t hurt.

In the end, the Patriots currently on the physically unable to perform list, will miss valuable practice time, but their veteran mentalities will allow them to come right back to football form when they are ready. However, someone like Dominique Easley may be taking yet another step back in his pro career.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: The Seau Sanction.

The long and torturous wait is almost over.

In just eleven days, NFL fans starving for any on-field action will finally get their first taste of live football. Granted, it is just the Hall of Fame game that will feature second and third stringers on the field for the majority of the time, but I think I can speak for many when I say that fans will take whatever they can get in August. But like most of the news that comes out of the NFL nowadays, the headline overshadowing this year’s event is surrounding the controversial decision the Hall of Fame has made with regard to one of the inductees in this year’s class – former Patriot Junior Seau.

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The “Tasmanian Devil”, whose passionate playing style reflected in every one of the 1800+ tackles, 56.5 sacks and 18 interceptions he recorded throughout an illustrious career made him a sure bet as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Unfortunately, he won’t be taking the stage to wear a gold jacket, nor will we hear any speech on his behalf come August 9th, as the Hall of Fame will not allow his family to speak at the enshrinement ceremony. Instead, the NFL Network will produce a five minute tribute video immortalizing Seau’s accomplishments on the field and completely dismissing his life’s tragic end and a little wrongful-death lawsuit that is still ongoing. After the 12-time Pro Bowler took his own life in May 2013, studies of his brain tissue determined he suffered from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a degenerative brain disease that is linked to concussions and is found in many former players.

The elephant in the room thrust itself into the spotlight when over 4500 former players and their families filed a lawsuit against the league in an effort to obtain security and treatment for injuries they suffered during their playing days, something the league dodged for years. The initial measly settlement of $765 million was withheld in August 2013 and a final settlement of over $1 billion was reached earlier this year. There were a couple of hundred players and families who opted out of this suit and subsequent settlement who are pursuing individual suits against the league, the Seau family being one of them. While the Hall of Fame committee claims that speeches for players being inducted
post-humously are redundant and basically a waste of time, it seems that the NFL, who has a hand in putting this milestone event together is trying to tip-toe around yet another controversial topic that has sparked endless backlash.

Sydney Seau, daughter of the 1992 Defensive Player of the Year tells The New York Times, “It’s frustrating because the induction is for my father and for the other players, but then to not be able to speak, it’s painful. I just want to give the speech he would have given. It wasn’t going to be about this mess. My speech was solely about him.”   

The idea that the Seau family would use such an event as a platform to expose the league is blasphemous. Do you think the Hall of Fame conspiring with the NFL to shut the Seau family up is fair?

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: An Explanation of Brady’s “Non-Compliance” With the “Wells Report”

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With still no news on Tom Brady’s appeal lets take a look at why Brady shouldn’t have handed over his phone and phone records to the NFL.

As we know Brady didn’t hand over his cell phone or phone records when requested by the NFL during the investigation of the Wells Report. Some people say that Brady had something to hide and that’s the reason why he didn’t hand over his cell phone, here’s an argument against that.

Any contact between Brady and Jastremski or Brady and McNally would have been on the phone records of the other two, which the NFL had. Though nothing has been said by the NFL it is believed that 2 games of Brady’s current 4 game suspension is due to “lack of cooperation” for not handing over his phone. Anything the league needed to see they could see with the phone records they had of the other two men. With the celebrity status of Tom Brady I don’t blame him for not handing over his phone to the league, he’s married to the worlds most well known super model, as well as being friends with many celebrities and athletes and may not want the league looking into his personal messages, which no one can blame him for.

During the whole “DeflateGate” scandal there was a lot of information that has been leaked by the NFL while the investigation was going on. With all the leaked information coming out from the NFL who knows what the NFL could have done with Brady’s phone. Anything could have been released by the NFL from Brady’s phone, Brady may have photos of him, his wife and his family on his phone that he may not want the public eye to see because Brady is a family man. There also could be personal conversations with numerous amounts of people on his cell phone; no one needs to see whom Brady is talking to and what is being talked about and his personal life doesn’t need to be put out to the public eye. The NFL allows people and its fans to see what the NFL wants them so see, I believe that the NFL and Roger Goodell saw footage of the Ray Rice incident before it was leaked by TMZ and they wanted to hide the video from being put out to the public. The NFL could have put anything out on Brady’s phone with it in their control and could try potentially ruining his public image if they felt like doing so, which they are trying to do with this whole “DeflateGate” joke.

Because the NFL isn’t the law and the investigation that was being conducted by the NFL wasn’t done through a court room and had nothing to do with legal proceedings, Brady didn’t have to hand over his phone, it wasn’t mandatory for him to do so. This means the whole “lack of cooperation” line people use can quickly be diminished. Just because someone asked him to hand over his phone doesn’t mean he has to do so. I guarantee 99% of you that are reading this wouldn’t just hand over your cell phones if you don’t need to and it isn’t illegal for you not to do so. I’m 20 years old I know there’s no chance I’m just gonna hand over my phone to anybody just because they want it and to look through my messages and the content on my phone. Think about it, this is exactly what the NFL is trying to get from Brady. The only real similar NFL case where a cell phone was needed during an investigation was the Brett Favre “picture sending” scandal we’ll call it. Favre refused to hand over his phone to the league and was given a $50 thousand fine. The differences between these two circumstances? Favre’s phone had all the evidence needed on it, Brady’s didn’t and all records with the other people being investigated by the NFL, the NFL already had. So Favre receives a fine for not handing over his phone to the league which had all evidence the league needed and Brady doesn’t hand his phone over to the league when he doesn’t need to, and the league already had records of contact between Brady, Jastremski and McNally and receives a suspension because of it.. Seems legit doesn’t it? No not at all? Oh that’s right because it doesn’t, just Roger Goodell and the NFL looking to target the Patriots yet again.

Another way to view the situation is that Brady needs to give this info to prove to the league that he did nothing wrong. Brady knows he did nothing wrong and if this is the evidence that the NFL needs to try convicting him of any wrong doings he knows he has the upper hand on the NFL if the case goes to court. The league has no evidence that Brady has any knowledge about balls being deflated or anything about this matter and with the league already acknowledging they feel Brady is guilty with no evidence they are looking to him to try hurting his own case. Brady was told by his legal team to not hand over the phone because they felt he did not need to do so and Brady listened to his team knowing they had what was in his best interest, opposite of the NFL.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Assessing The Extension Of Ryan Allen And The Addition Of Tarell Brown

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With less than a week away before the start of training camp, the New England Patriots are finishing up their final offseason transactions. This past week, the Patriots added veteran cornerback Tarell Brown and locked up punter Ryan Allen with a three-year contract extension, that has the option to renegotiate after two seasons.

Tarell Brown is an eight-year NFL veteran, spending his first seven years with San Francisco only to cross the bay to Oakland in year eight. He was a starter on three very successful San Francisco defenses in the years 2011-2013. He was a key contributor to their NFC Championship squad in 2012, when they fell short against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII.

Brown will immediately compete for a starting role on the Patriots defense, given the lack of experience on the depth chart. At 5-11, 190 pounds Brown is smaller, but his savvy will certainly be beneficial for the Patriots. Their is a multitude of young cornerbacks on the Patriots roster that look to have ability, but experience is what is cause for concern right now.

Heading into his ninth season, experience certainly won’t be an issue for Tarell Brown. In his time he has intercepted eleven passes, with fifty-nine passes defended. Last season Brown played in fourteen games with the Raiders, while giving up 42 receptions on 67 targets for 571 yards and one touchdown, according to Pro Football Focus.

brown sf

His season was cut short due to a foot injury that landed him on injured reserve. The only question now is whether or not that injury will slow down his start to the 2015 season.

The contract extension for punter Ryan Allen came as a real surprise because it is so out of the ordinary for Bill Belichick to extend his punter long-term.

There have been two constants for Bill Belichick’s punters over the past fifteen years; They are left-footed and they are only wanted for three seasons. Ken Walter, Josh Miller, Chris Hanson, and Zoltan Mesko all produced fairly well for the Patriots, but none were worthy of contract extensions.

Even though he has only been in the league for two seasons, Ryan Allen is already starting to show more ability than any of the previous punters in the Belichick era. Since coming to the Patriots as a free agent out of Louisiana Tech in 2013, the two-time Ray Guy Award winner has averaged 46.1 yards per punt with a net average of 40.2.

In 2014 he landed 25 of his 66 punts inside the 20-yard line. In addition, Allen launched the longest punt in Super Bowl history against the Seahawks with his 64-yard boot. Furthermore, Allen has been a very good holder for kicker Stephen Gostkowski.

allen sb49

To conclude, the New England Patriots have continued to add to their roster heading right into training camp this Thursday. With the addition of Tarell Brown, the Patriots will have a veteran cornerback in a meeting room that will be full of young and inexperienced players. His veteran intellect may be a key part in helping young players such as Darryl Roberts, Jimmy Jean, and Malcolm Butler grow.

With the extension of Ryan Allen, Bill Belichick now has his three key pieces of the special teams unit locked up for the next four years with Allen, Stephen Gostkowski, (who just received a four-year extension) and long snapper Joe Cardona signed through 2018.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

In the NFL, Success Breeds Contempt

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Professional football is a fickle beast. When you’re at the bottom of the competitive ladder, any move you make is scrutinized by your fan base and lambasted by the media. Championship success of course is the ultimate goal, giving way to universal respect among your colleagues, fans, and critics. Sadly there is such a thing as too much success.

90122030-football-super-bowl-x-pittsburgh-steelers-gettyimages

The Pittsburgh Steelers in the 70’s, the San Francisco 49ers in the eighties, the Dallas Cowboys in the nineties, and the New England Patriots in the 2000s, have all gone from plucky underdogs to beloved winners and ultimately to the team all other fan bases love to hate. The NFL survives on the concept that any of the 32 teams, if comprised properly, can win the Lombardi Trophy. When one team gets a little too successful it breeds contempt amongst their rival fan bases and of course it ruins the concept in which the NFL is built upon, one in which anybody can win.

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The New England Patriots are currently the team that all others love to hate. It started long before Spygate and Deflategate were part of public conscience, after creating the NFL’s most recent dynasty, the Patriot’s winning ways were examined a bit closer. In 2004, the NFL’s competition committee severely altered the amount of clutching and grabbing a defensive player could administer due to the unbridled success of Belichick’s gritty defense. The change in defensive rules once again gave way to a more even playing field. Despite a ten year drought of Super Bowl championships, the Patriots continued to be a dominant force in both the regular season and the playoffs. In today’s NFL the Patriots current level of success cannot be. Last season’s incredible run by New England has once again given way to rule changes and unprecedented decision making by the NFL.

457320922-indianapolis-colts-wide-receiver-marvin-gettyimages

After the 2014 divisional championship was determined and the Patriots had used a variety of trick plays to defeat the Baltimore Ravens, the latter team cried foul and once again the rules have been altered in the interest of “competitive fairness.” We are all aware of the current bucket of overreaction that is Deflategate and the amount of crying that is come from Colt’s owner Jim Irsay despite his team being handedly defeated regardless of ball air pressure. Were the footballs under-inflated in the AFC Championship Game? Yes. We’re both sides using under inflated footballs? Yes. In fairness, New England’s footballs were of course (shown to be) far more under inflated than the Colt’s balls but given the situation both teams should have been penalized to some degree.  The intercepted pass from Brady in the AFC Championship game was checked for psi. on the sidelines by Colts personel. (Documented in Wells Report). Indianapolis Colts are not as successful currently as the New England Patriots so that was not the case at all. At the time of this writing, Indianapolis still has all their draft picks next year, no fine, and their star quarterback for the first 4 weeks of play. I’m not saying the punishment should be the same for both teams but at the very least the Colts should have been fined for an equipment violation.

Recent news has both Jim Irsay and Raven’s owner Steve Bisciotti chief among a handful of influential owners attempting to swing Roger Goodell’s decision making skills in their favor, in regards to Tom Brady’s appeal of his four-game suspension. Only in the wacky world of the NFL does this type of behavior get both reported and tolerated. Why is this madness tolerated? The NFL wants the New England Patriot’s success to come to an end, as it’s best for business.

At the end of the day the New England Patriots are currently the victims of their own success just as they are the victims of their own wrong doings. In a football world where rules are changed to suit your opponent’s needs and punishments are handed out based on unqualified suspicions, the Patriots are still a successful franchise. The question isn’t if but when the NFL Will win the war and restore parity among their league.

Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, NFL

NFL News Dump: League Hands Down Multiple Suspensions

Today was suspension Friday in the NFL, as Roger Goodell handed down three different suspensions. Chief’s cornerback Sean Smith, Bronco’s defensive end Derek Wolfe, and Viking’s cornerback Jabari Price were all given some sort of suspension today.

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith (21) covers Denver Broncos wide receiver Cody Latimer (14) as the ball falls incomplete during the second quarter on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Kansas City Star/TNS)
Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith (21) covers Denver Broncos wide receiver Cody Latimer (14) as the ball falls incomplete during the second quarter on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Kansas City Star/TNS)

Sean Smith was suspended three games for a DUI, which he pled guilty to in April. Smith is a first time offender, which is designated for a two-game suspension by the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, but the policy does leave some wiggle room for special circumstances like property damage. Smith struck and broke a light pole, which is what led to him getting caught, and added an extra game to the suspension. Smith is just one of many cornerbacks the Chiefs have, and it should not be a huge blow to the team.

during a 2015 AFC Divisional Playoff game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 11, 2015 in Denver, Colorado.
during a 2015 AFC Divisional Playoff game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 11, 2015 in Denver, Colorado.

Derek Wolfe was suspended four games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Wolfe, a former second round pick, gave the standard player-suspended-for-PED-use answer, saying he didn’t realize what he was taking was on the banned substance list, ho hum. Wolfe is one of three defensive ends that looked to be in the Broncos rotation as they transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4, along with Vance Walker and Malik Jackson. Of course, the Broncos have plenty of pass rushers at outside linebacker, such as Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, and first round draft pick Shane Ray.

<> at Ford Field on December 14, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan.
<> at Ford Field on December 14, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan.

Jabari Price, much like Smith, was suspended two games after pleading guilty to a DWI in April. Price is entering his second year in the NFL, and was a seventh round draft pick in 2014. He is primarily a special teams player.

Adam Schefter reported all three suspensions on Twitter today, in three separate tweets. In the last two, he also mentioned that on suspension Friday, there was still no Brady news. It shows you what NFL fans are looking for right now. The NFL can dump all theses irrelevant suspensions right now, and no one will care. Famous Boston sports fan Bill Simmons put everything into perspective on Twitter, saying, “AFC Title Game: 1/18, Wells Report: 5/6, Brady Suspension: 5/11, NFLPA Appeal: 5/14, Brady/Goodell meeting: 6/23, Today’s date: 7/24 27 WEEKS.” You can see why the NFL is king; they know how to control their news. They don’t want a bunch of suspensions to be a big deal, so they’ve dragged deflategate out for 27 weeks, giving them a 27-week news dump period.

NFC, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles: Tim Tebow Possibly Starting a QB Controversy in Philly

Imagine for a second that we lived in an alternative universe where every NFL coach would welcome HBO’s Hard Knocks series behind their closed curtains and give them all-access to the team’s daily ins and outs. Now, in that world, is there a single team you want on Hard Knocks more than the 2015 Eagles? After having the most interesting offseason in years, the team has not one, but four interesting quarterbacks on their roster. The presumed starter, former Heisman-trophy winner Sam Bradford, who’s missed the last two seasons with injuries. The likely backup (though possible starter), the beautiful Mark Sanchez, who had a once-promising career thrown down the toilet by Rex Ryan, then showed signs of rejuvenation when taking over for injured Nick Foles in Philly last season. Then you have Matt Barkley, who probably would’ve been the number one pick in the draft had he left USC after his junior year, but instead had a shaky senior year and plummeted to fourth round where he looks to never be a starting quarterback. And finally, you have one of the most pulverizing figures in the history of football: Tim Tebow.

during a game at MetLife Stadium on December 28, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
during a game at MetLife Stadium on December 28, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The initial momentum for Tebow has all but died since his career went down the drain with the Jets. But two days ago, inquistir.com reported that Tebow could be at the heart of a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia. Seriously, you can read the story here: http://www.inquisitr.com/2273993/philadelphia-eagles-rumors-tim-tebow-could-be-poised-to-become-the-breakout-star-of-training-camp/ The article suggests that Tebow could not only beat out Barkley for the third string job, but may challenge for legitimate playing time.

I was and am as big of a Tebow fan as any. I’ve always liked college football just a little more than the NFL, and Tebowmania in 2011 was the closest the NFL ever felt like to college for me. Whether you supported him or hated him, the one thing you have to admit about the 2011 Tim Tebow ride is this: it was fun. I also think that Chip Kelly was smart to sign Tebow, and I think Kelly is the most innovative mind in the NFL. But Chip Kelly didn’t sign Tim Tebow to be his starting quarterback.

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Generated by IJG JPEG Library

There’s a place for Tebow in this league, but it’s as a situational specialist. On 3rd and goal from the 3, I’d love to have a 6’3 bowling ball that has quarterback skills behind center. But using him as a short-yardage specialist is different than building your team around him. Bill Belichick has used guys because they do one thing really well all the time. Shane Vereen only caught passes out of the backfield. He uses guys like LeGarrette Blount and Jonas Gray against teams with a bad run defense (the Colts) and then locks them in a closet for the rest of the season. Chip Kelly is an offensive genius and can certainly find a place for a player of Tebow’s skill set in his system. Maybe Tebow’s improved. I hope he has, I’m rooting for him. But the only quarterback controversy in Philadelphia right now is whether or not Bradford can make it through the entire season healthy.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

Three Rookies That Will Surprise Patriots Fans In 2015

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One of the most exciting parts of training camp every year is getting to see the new rookies on your team. You have spent hours watching game tape and highlight reels of their college careers, now it is time to see what they look like playing against the big dogs.

For the New England Patriots, the only rookie that fans are expecting to shine is first round pick Malcom Brown. The remaining rookies are all question marks. Most first-year players go through a huge transition year, and it is hard for them to truly show their abilities as a rookie. Here are three Patriots rookies that I believe will contribute in 2015.

Geneo Grissom: Drafted at the end of the third round out of Oklahoma, Geneo Grissom has all the physical attributes to be a successful defensive edge player in the National Football League. Bill Belichick praised Grissom the night he drafted him, preaching about his versatility. ” He didn’t play like a linebacker in there. You probably wouldn’t think he’s that light. You wouldn’t know by the way he played.”

Grissom at Oklahoma played predominately as a defensive end with his hand in the dirt. ” He was way undersized at 260 pounds, but he competed well. ” Another compliment from Belichick on draft night. In 2014, Grissom moved to more of an edge outside linebacker role, where you have to think is where he will spend most of his time in New England. With a lack of depth at linebacker, Grissom will have his chances to prove himself in game situations.

Photo: boston.cbs.local.com
Photo: boston.cbs.local.com

Tre Jackson: If any Patriots rookie were to jump right into a starting role this season, fourth round pick Tre Jackson would be a very solid candidate. With Dan Connolly now retired, the Patriots are left without a starting guard next to Ryan Wendell. Veterans like Josh Kline and Jordan Devey most likely won’t get the job done, therefore Jackson may have the best chance at starting.

In 2014, Bryan Stork took over the starting role at center almost immediately. Stork was a teammate of Jackson’s at Florida State playing under offensive line coach Rick Trickett, who has been a long-time friend of the Patriots organization. Tre Jackson is much bigger than Patriots guards of the past. He is a powerful space eater, as opposed to a more nimble player like Ryan Wendell.

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Darryl Roberts: The Patriots cornerback depth chart as of right now is paper thin. All players right now are on an equal playing field, which could help seventh round rookie Darryl Roberts. A Marshall product, Roberts is a very athletic and physical corner. He played up on the line in college and loved to get his hands on the receiver. Much like Brandon Browner, it would be to a fault at times.

Roberts has the size to be a pro cornerback at 6-0, 182 pounds. In addition, his pro day numbers were very impressive as he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash and a 6.7 three-cone drill. Had he been invited to the combine he would have ranked second among all cornerbacks in those categories.

Roberts like many other cornerbacks, has been labeled as very confident. His self-proclaimed nickname is, “Swagg.” Furthermore, his college defensive coordinator Chuck Heater seems to think that his seventh round selection will give him extra motivation. ” He’s fighting every day. That’s a great attitude to have. It’s an edge.”  Many already think that Roberts was passed over too many times in the draft. The analytical powerhouse that is Pro Football Focus had Darryl Roberts as their fourth biggest steal of the draft.

In conclusion, all three of these rookies will have success in some way, shape, or form in 2015, but Darryl Roberts will soar above the rest. Much like Malcolm Butler last season, Roberts will shine during training camp and it will lead to significant game time in the regular season. With game time comes chances to make plays, and when given those chances you can win your team the Super Bowl. Just ask Malcolm Butler.

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