Well now that all of the colleges are out recruiting at some of the high school spring games, it looks like a time to predict who will be finishing as the top four teams in the country. Last year, we saw a battle of the two most recent powerhouses in college football (Florida State vs. Oregon), and college's two top coaches (Saban vs. Myer). Who knows what we will see this year.
Looking at top rankings of current players on the rosters, appeal of new additions to the starting core, and who is in the lead for a Heisman, I am left to look at the finals as that following:
1. TCU
2. Ohio State
3. USC
4. Ole Miss
TCU has been one of the favorites for this year since the end of last season. With losing only one offensive player, along with having the current Heisman front-runner, Trevone Boykin, still on the roster, it makes sense that TCU should get to the final four.
It may be difficult to believe, due to a weak Big-12. Baylor will not be as much of a threat without Bryce Petty and West Virginia without Clint Trickett. These weaker games do not merit the number one ranking. That is because this TCU team is primed to do what we saw Florida State do in 2013. TCU will mop the floor with every opponent they face. Without some key players like Malcom Brown and Kevin White no longer in the conference, no one is there to stop them from overtaking Ohio State for the number one spot.
Speaking of Ohio State, why are they at two? Ohio State always seems to lose that one game in the season that makes their championship hopes look dim. This year, I look at three games for the defending champs to be wary of: Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Wisconsin.
Virginia Tech was the one in 14-1 for the Buckeye's last year. This was due to a last minute pick-six made by the Hokie defense. Having a top 25 recruiting class does not help Ohio State's chances either along with being on a neutral field for the game. Michigan State is always a contender for the Big-10 East. With that game being right at the end of the regular season, we could see MSU QB Conner Cook trying to cement his candidacy for a Heisman vote.
Why is Wisconsin on the list? They don't even play OSU. That is because this is the Big-10 Title Game rematch. Wisconsin will be hurt from losing their best offensive weapon in Melvin Gordon, but Wisconsin, like Michigan State, is always in contention for that title, especially with a weak Big-10 West in their favor.
Moving on to USC. Will this be the year they rise once again? I believe so. While having lost DT Leonard Williams and WR Nelson Agholor to the draft may not help, USC has a great starting QB in Kessler along with a recruiting system that could be described as "reloading."
USC is my pick for being the Pac-12 Champions due to the loss of Marcus Mariota in Oregon and Brett Hundley for UCLA. They have a strong schedule with a predicted six ranked match-ups.
Finally we have Ole Miss. With the loss of Bo Wallace, this will be my dark horse. Mel Kiper already has numerous players on both sides of the ball ranked in his top 15 on offense, defense, and Seniors. While they do have a difficult away schedule, playing Alabama, Florida, Auburn, and in-state rival Mississippi State, they have a lot of upside.
If Laquon Treadwell returns to the competitive state he was at before his injury, Ole Miss could be sitting pretty as the SEC Champs. Treadwell averaged about 13 yards per reception before breaking his leg against Auburn last year.
What about the other teams? The other possible teams that could be here are not due to a list of reasons. My first five out due to the game that will decide their fate:
Alabama loses to Ole Miss
Mississippi State loses to Alabama
Florida State loses to Georgia Tech
Arizona loses to USC
Oregon loses to Arizona State
Monday, May 25, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Ray Rice's Second Shot?
It has been over a year since former Pro-Bowl Running Back Ray Rice got into an altercation with his (at the time) soon-to-be wife in an elevator. After the news was outed, the Ravens #1 running back's contract was terminated and he was suspended for an indefinite amount of time. Earlier today, Rice was exonerated of the charges after he had spent the year in a recovery program to make sure this kind of tragedy would not happen ever again. So the question remains: will he get another shot in the NFL?
Rice entered the League in 2008 as a 2nd round pick out of Rutgers University. In six seasons with Baltimore, Rice had accumulated over 6,000 yards, 3 pro-bowl appearances, ranked in the NFL's Top 100 Players for 3-consecutive years (2011-13), and a Super Bowl ring. Rice, amazingly, has also been injury free over his career. Impressive for a back who is only 5' 8".
Everything about Rice says sign him immediately. Teams should be scrambling for a chance to get this once in a lifetime back. But the actions of Ray have greatly damaged his reputation. But this has not kept teams at bay.
Supposedly, five teams are interested in Rice. For the teams interested, this could spell Super Bowl Bound in the next few years. Especially since some of the interested teams were in the playoffs this past year.
Dallas Cowboys
With DeMarco Murray gone, and many people not sure about who will be the true starter for Dallas, Rice would be ideal to Dallas. Granted, Dallas has already signed former Raider Darren McFadden. Also, today the team had workouts with five-year veteran Ben Tate along with former Cowboy, Felix Jones.
Rice could choose to go with a team that may have the best offensive line next year, and is a starting RB and a sub-par secondary away from a Super Bowl. This would be an ideal spot for Rice.
Cleveland Browns
This seems like the least likely of possibilities for Rice. The past two years, the Browns have spent three picks on Running Backs: Isaiah Crowell, Terrance West, and Duke Johnson. Adding a fourth to the fray would not be an idea for this once lone workhorse back. Rice would be looking for a place where he can go after another championship. This team is still pretty far from making the playoffs.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders did a great deal of work this off season. Oakland added 13 players from all over the league and on every side of the ball. This includes two running backs: Trent Richardson and Roy Helu Jr. This team has the same problem as Cleveland. Players who have reached the top want to be back there. This teams does not offer the fast track to that dream.
New England Patriots
The reigning Super Bowl Champions are without a true starting back. Having lost both Steven Ridley and Shane Vereen in free agency, the Pats are looking at three guys to lead them: Jonas Grey, LeGarrette Blount, and Rookie Ty Gaffney.
Grey did well last year for the few games he played, breaking a New England rushing record. Granted, his best game was against a team with some major defense problems. Blount cannot stay out of trouble for his own good, having been suspended yet again. Gaffney has promise, but rarely is a rookie back ready to go from day one. Rice going to New England could happen, and we all know that Brady is hungry for a fifth ring. Rice would be the ideal fit for this team, considering that they run a similar offense as they did in Baltimore
Indianapolis Colts
This team, like the Patriots, are in need of a good starter. Over the past few years, the depth chart for the Colts running backs kept getting smaller and smaller. Injury after injury for Indy. Now adding seasoned vet Frank Gore to the mix, it would look as though they have a fighting chance in the run game. This could be another good fit, but is Rice ready to give up playing time?
Can Rice return to his former glory? I think the better question is, should he be allowed to?
Rice entered the League in 2008 as a 2nd round pick out of Rutgers University. In six seasons with Baltimore, Rice had accumulated over 6,000 yards, 3 pro-bowl appearances, ranked in the NFL's Top 100 Players for 3-consecutive years (2011-13), and a Super Bowl ring. Rice, amazingly, has also been injury free over his career. Impressive for a back who is only 5' 8".
Everything about Rice says sign him immediately. Teams should be scrambling for a chance to get this once in a lifetime back. But the actions of Ray have greatly damaged his reputation. But this has not kept teams at bay.
Supposedly, five teams are interested in Rice. For the teams interested, this could spell Super Bowl Bound in the next few years. Especially since some of the interested teams were in the playoffs this past year.
Dallas Cowboys
With DeMarco Murray gone, and many people not sure about who will be the true starter for Dallas, Rice would be ideal to Dallas. Granted, Dallas has already signed former Raider Darren McFadden. Also, today the team had workouts with five-year veteran Ben Tate along with former Cowboy, Felix Jones.
Rice could choose to go with a team that may have the best offensive line next year, and is a starting RB and a sub-par secondary away from a Super Bowl. This would be an ideal spot for Rice.
Cleveland Browns
This seems like the least likely of possibilities for Rice. The past two years, the Browns have spent three picks on Running Backs: Isaiah Crowell, Terrance West, and Duke Johnson. Adding a fourth to the fray would not be an idea for this once lone workhorse back. Rice would be looking for a place where he can go after another championship. This team is still pretty far from making the playoffs.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders did a great deal of work this off season. Oakland added 13 players from all over the league and on every side of the ball. This includes two running backs: Trent Richardson and Roy Helu Jr. This team has the same problem as Cleveland. Players who have reached the top want to be back there. This teams does not offer the fast track to that dream.
New England Patriots
The reigning Super Bowl Champions are without a true starting back. Having lost both Steven Ridley and Shane Vereen in free agency, the Pats are looking at three guys to lead them: Jonas Grey, LeGarrette Blount, and Rookie Ty Gaffney.
Grey did well last year for the few games he played, breaking a New England rushing record. Granted, his best game was against a team with some major defense problems. Blount cannot stay out of trouble for his own good, having been suspended yet again. Gaffney has promise, but rarely is a rookie back ready to go from day one. Rice going to New England could happen, and we all know that Brady is hungry for a fifth ring. Rice would be the ideal fit for this team, considering that they run a similar offense as they did in Baltimore
Indianapolis Colts
This team, like the Patriots, are in need of a good starter. Over the past few years, the depth chart for the Colts running backs kept getting smaller and smaller. Injury after injury for Indy. Now adding seasoned vet Frank Gore to the mix, it would look as though they have a fighting chance in the run game. This could be another good fit, but is Rice ready to give up playing time?
Can Rice return to his former glory? I think the better question is, should he be allowed to?
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Can Dallas Win Without Murray?
It seems like the Dallas Cowboy's run game has been one of the biggest questions this offseason. Since losing the league's leading rusher to their conference rival, it seems as though Dallas has done next to nothing about replacing DeMarco Murray. While there has been much speculation around the league as to what Dallas' plan is, Owner and GM Jerry Jones has outright said that he feels that this year's core of running backs can be better than last year's group.
Looking at the actual moves this offseason for the run game, Dallas has made one move that seems to have made sense: signing Darren McFadden from the Raiders. The former first rounder was supposed to be one of the answers for the Raider's downward spiral in the NFL. Since entering the league in 2008, McFadden has only had one season where he has reached over 1,000 yards. Another interesting fact is that this past season was McFadden's first season to play all 16 games in the regular season.
But with only 534 yards to show for this past season, what makes the Cowboys think he could be the solution to losing the OPOY? While it could just be the owner's diehard love of former Arkansas players, Dallas may be looking to do what most of the NFL is looking at: a duel running back system.
In the past few years, it has been an idea for some teams without a workhorse back to use a duel system. In the past, we have seen groups such as C.J Spiller with Fred Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles, and Ryan Matthews with Danny Woodhead. In each of these duos, one of them is known for getting hurt upon occasion. With a duel system, it puts less work on one guy to do it all. Dallas may look to use the duel system with McFadden and Randle, a 3rd year out of Oklahoma State.
While teams like Seattle and Green Bay have some of the NFL's top backs in the league, and rarely have to switch out, the duel back is still as system that can work. For now. Without a Lacy or Lynch at the Cowboy's disposal, it looked as though Dallas would address that problem in the draft.
With Dallas having the 27th pick in this past year's draft, it was hard to guess where they would go with having lost Murray, but also having many holes to fill on defense. With the top two backs, Gurley and Gordon, off the board before the halfway mark, Dallas was smart not to gamble on one of the other backs so early. This is also due to the fact that through many scouting reports, none of the players ranked below Gurley and Gordon were seen as possible workhorse backs.
Now there has been talks about Dallas trading for the highly coveted Adrian Peterson, but the Vikings seem to be looking for more than just the offer of a 2016 First-Round Pick. Don't look for Peterson to be dawning the blue and white anytime soon.
There has been some other speculation of one other player to add to the core. This information has just hit recently. The Bear's Running Back Matt Forte is looking for a trade.
After the signing of Jacquizz Rodgers in free-agency, along with drafting Ka'Deem Carey (Arizona) and Kendall Langford (Michigan State) over the past two years, it looks as though the Bears may be closing the door on the vet. With Forte hitting the trading block earlier today, it will be interesting to see how Dallas, along with other teams, react to the action.
All of the speculation aside, staying with the backs available to them right now, it is hard to see how Dallas can win with this host of backs. Granted, having signed LSU OT La'el Collins, and having what some may call the best offensive line in NFL History, we will just have to wait and see if McFadden can be the running back people expected him to be after being picked fourth overall in 2008.
Looking at the actual moves this offseason for the run game, Dallas has made one move that seems to have made sense: signing Darren McFadden from the Raiders. The former first rounder was supposed to be one of the answers for the Raider's downward spiral in the NFL. Since entering the league in 2008, McFadden has only had one season where he has reached over 1,000 yards. Another interesting fact is that this past season was McFadden's first season to play all 16 games in the regular season.
But with only 534 yards to show for this past season, what makes the Cowboys think he could be the solution to losing the OPOY? While it could just be the owner's diehard love of former Arkansas players, Dallas may be looking to do what most of the NFL is looking at: a duel running back system.
In the past few years, it has been an idea for some teams without a workhorse back to use a duel system. In the past, we have seen groups such as C.J Spiller with Fred Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles, and Ryan Matthews with Danny Woodhead. In each of these duos, one of them is known for getting hurt upon occasion. With a duel system, it puts less work on one guy to do it all. Dallas may look to use the duel system with McFadden and Randle, a 3rd year out of Oklahoma State.
While teams like Seattle and Green Bay have some of the NFL's top backs in the league, and rarely have to switch out, the duel back is still as system that can work. For now. Without a Lacy or Lynch at the Cowboy's disposal, it looked as though Dallas would address that problem in the draft.
With Dallas having the 27th pick in this past year's draft, it was hard to guess where they would go with having lost Murray, but also having many holes to fill on defense. With the top two backs, Gurley and Gordon, off the board before the halfway mark, Dallas was smart not to gamble on one of the other backs so early. This is also due to the fact that through many scouting reports, none of the players ranked below Gurley and Gordon were seen as possible workhorse backs.
Now there has been talks about Dallas trading for the highly coveted Adrian Peterson, but the Vikings seem to be looking for more than just the offer of a 2016 First-Round Pick. Don't look for Peterson to be dawning the blue and white anytime soon.
There has been some other speculation of one other player to add to the core. This information has just hit recently. The Bear's Running Back Matt Forte is looking for a trade.
After the signing of Jacquizz Rodgers in free-agency, along with drafting Ka'Deem Carey (Arizona) and Kendall Langford (Michigan State) over the past two years, it looks as though the Bears may be closing the door on the vet. With Forte hitting the trading block earlier today, it will be interesting to see how Dallas, along with other teams, react to the action.
All of the speculation aside, staying with the backs available to them right now, it is hard to see how Dallas can win with this host of backs. Granted, having signed LSU OT La'el Collins, and having what some may call the best offensive line in NFL History, we will just have to wait and see if McFadden can be the running back people expected him to be after being picked fourth overall in 2008.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Draft Day Recap: Tampa Bay Bucs
With the First Pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Bucs select: Their Franchise Quarterback of the Future!
The Bucs made a splash with their first pick out of the gate. With little controversy surrounding who they would pick at number one. Jameis Winston of Florida State University boasts a 27-1 record as the starting quarterback and has a BCS National Championship and a Heisman to back up why he went number one. But lets look at how Tampa Bay addressed the rest of their team's needs from the second round onward.
Round 2: Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State Round 5: Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
Round 2: All Marpet, C, Hobart Round 6: Kaelin Clay, WR, Utah
Round 4: Kwon Alexander, ILB, LSU Round 7: Joey Iosefa, FB, Hawaii
Team Needs: QB DL OL LB WR
The Bucs addressed their number one need right off the bat, no problem. As the draft moved on to the next few days, the Bucs stayed to their game plan of drafting only their needs for awhile.
On day two, the Bucs took Donovan Smith from Penn State and All Marpet from Hobart. Both of these picks address that key offensive line help that the Bucs desperately need. In the past two seasons, the Bucs have yet to have a RB reach 1,000 yards. This is due to the lack of communication on the line and the fact that the RBs keep getting injured due to the heavy workload they have themselves, without a line. One of these RBs includes Doug Martin, who is entering his fouth year and has not yet had his option picked up for a fifth year.
Martin had over 1,000 yards his rookie season, but has not hit 500 in the past two.
The addition of an Inside Linebacker will help relieve that defense of having so much pressure put on all-star Gerald McCoy. Alexander had 83 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 12 games with LSU last year. With Tampa giving up almost 115 yards on the ground per game, Alexander is sure to be there difference to stop the run whether it is off or in between the tackles. While there was no help on the line in the draft, do remember the Bucs signed veteran DT Henry Melton.
Finally, they address the Wide Receiver depth issue. With Jackson close to retirement, Tampa is hoping that Mike Evans will be able to take over as their future number one receiver. With both receivers standing at 6' 5", Winston has just been given two wide outs that are the same size of his former teammate and savior of the Championship, Kelvin Benjamin.
With both of the Bucs' picks, Bell and Clay, at 6' 1" and 5' 10", these will not be like the two big men. But they do represent speed which is needed by the Bucs receivers. Bell, who ran a 4.42, and Clay, a 4.51. Look to be those speedy slot receivers. These are the men that can make a difference in a game. Smaller receivers like T.Y. Hilton and Julian Edelman have become big-time targets for their QBs as the seasons go on. Bell and Clay look to become that type of player.
Adding to the running game is not what people would think the Bucs need, but a big guy like Iosefa? While Iosefa is not the type of FB like Mike Tolbert, they will look for this 247 pounder to be a lead blocker for Martin or Rainey in the future to set the outside edge.
Overall, Tampa Bay can rest easy for a bit, knowing that, on paper, their draft looks good. Are all of the pieces there to make a run for another Super Bowl? In time, maybe. I look at this team and say that the Bucs can finish the year at a solid 8-8. But this all depends on how Winston can play with the big boys in the NFL.
Tomorrow, I will be looking at the Titan's Draft Class.
The Bucs made a splash with their first pick out of the gate. With little controversy surrounding who they would pick at number one. Jameis Winston of Florida State University boasts a 27-1 record as the starting quarterback and has a BCS National Championship and a Heisman to back up why he went number one. But lets look at how Tampa Bay addressed the rest of their team's needs from the second round onward.
Round 2: Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State Round 5: Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
Round 2: All Marpet, C, Hobart Round 6: Kaelin Clay, WR, Utah
Round 4: Kwon Alexander, ILB, LSU Round 7: Joey Iosefa, FB, Hawaii
Team Needs: QB DL OL LB WR
The Bucs addressed their number one need right off the bat, no problem. As the draft moved on to the next few days, the Bucs stayed to their game plan of drafting only their needs for awhile.
On day two, the Bucs took Donovan Smith from Penn State and All Marpet from Hobart. Both of these picks address that key offensive line help that the Bucs desperately need. In the past two seasons, the Bucs have yet to have a RB reach 1,000 yards. This is due to the lack of communication on the line and the fact that the RBs keep getting injured due to the heavy workload they have themselves, without a line. One of these RBs includes Doug Martin, who is entering his fouth year and has not yet had his option picked up for a fifth year.
Martin had over 1,000 yards his rookie season, but has not hit 500 in the past two.
The addition of an Inside Linebacker will help relieve that defense of having so much pressure put on all-star Gerald McCoy. Alexander had 83 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 12 games with LSU last year. With Tampa giving up almost 115 yards on the ground per game, Alexander is sure to be there difference to stop the run whether it is off or in between the tackles. While there was no help on the line in the draft, do remember the Bucs signed veteran DT Henry Melton.
Finally, they address the Wide Receiver depth issue. With Jackson close to retirement, Tampa is hoping that Mike Evans will be able to take over as their future number one receiver. With both receivers standing at 6' 5", Winston has just been given two wide outs that are the same size of his former teammate and savior of the Championship, Kelvin Benjamin.
With both of the Bucs' picks, Bell and Clay, at 6' 1" and 5' 10", these will not be like the two big men. But they do represent speed which is needed by the Bucs receivers. Bell, who ran a 4.42, and Clay, a 4.51. Look to be those speedy slot receivers. These are the men that can make a difference in a game. Smaller receivers like T.Y. Hilton and Julian Edelman have become big-time targets for their QBs as the seasons go on. Bell and Clay look to become that type of player.
Adding to the running game is not what people would think the Bucs need, but a big guy like Iosefa? While Iosefa is not the type of FB like Mike Tolbert, they will look for this 247 pounder to be a lead blocker for Martin or Rainey in the future to set the outside edge.
Overall, Tampa Bay can rest easy for a bit, knowing that, on paper, their draft looks good. Are all of the pieces there to make a run for another Super Bowl? In time, maybe. I look at this team and say that the Bucs can finish the year at a solid 8-8. But this all depends on how Winston can play with the big boys in the NFL.
Tomorrow, I will be looking at the Titan's Draft Class.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Who Will Make the Play for Mariota?
With the NFL Draft only a mere 15 days away, people are falling over themselves thinking about who they should draft. One of the bigger questions is how to move up in the draft in order to get a key playmaker. The main man in question is Marcus Mariota, the Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Oregon.
We all know that Jameis Winston will be wearing a Tampa Bay jersey next season, barring any legal issues, so everyone turns to Mariota, the only other quarterback worth drafting in the first round.
Here are some rumors going around about how people may try to get the former Duck:
Cleveland Browns Trade 12th & 19th Pick for Titans 2nd Overall
With Hoyer gone, Manziel in rehab, and a less than average QB in Josh McCown, HC Mike Pettine and the Browns need a true signal caller. This would greatly benefit both teams if this trade went through either on Draft Day or before that.
1. The Browns have been cursed when it comes to having two picks in the first round. The last two times this occured for Cleveland was in 2012 and 2014 Drafts. In 2012, the Browns selected QB Brandon Weeden & RB Trent Richardson. Since then, both players have been traded. Last year, the Browns selected CB Justin Gilbert and QB Johnny Manziel. Manziel has yet to score a touchdown and Gilbert had a less than mediocre season for being drafted 8th overall. Why not roll both of these available picks into one possible superstar pick?
2. The Titans have so many problems that it will not be fixed with a single draft pick. Getting two first rounders would be ideal to address problems on both sides of the ball. Possible help could come from DT Danny Shelton, OG Cameron Erving, WR DeVante Parker, or even CB Trae Waynes.
This could be a win-win for both teams, and the most likely trade of all of the possibilities.
San Diego Chargers Trade Phillip Rivers to Titans for 2nd Overall
Phillip Rivers is coming off a Pro-Bowl caliber season and has been looking great over the past few years. Last year alone, Rivers had the 10th highest QBR, above Andrew Luck and Russel Wilson. Having a seasoned Quarterback at the helm of the Tennessee Offense could certainly get things rolling.
But I disagree and think that the Titans should stay away from this option. Phillip Rivers is turning 34 this year. He has been in the league since 2004. Granted he has never been severely injured, but how much does he have left in the tank? Entering the final year of his 6-year $90 million contract with the Chargers, this could be a make-or-break year for Rivers.
With all of the problem areas in Tennessee, if Rivers went there, it would be a break year and River could retire from the game.
Philadelphia Eagles FINALLY Make Their Play
Since the McCoy-Alonso Trade was announced in late February, we know that HC Chip Kelly still has a thing for players from his old coaching job at Oregon. The Eagles currently have 10 players on the team that are from Oregon during the age of Chip and hold the 20th pick in the draft. It's not very likely Mariota will drop this far.
So what are the Eagles options? They could trade their draft picks for the next few years like the Redskins did for RG3 (we all see how that worked out). Chip Kelly has already come out saying they are not willing to risk their future on one guy.
Trade Sam Bradford? We have heard the Sam Bradford was on the trading block for a little bit, but could it be to get the second pick? It's highly unlikely that the Titans would want an injury prone QB after the retirement of former Titan QB Jake Locker, who was injured for every season.
The only way that I see that the Eagles could get Mariota at #2 without sacrificing first round picks would be to trade a RB, a DL, and a second or third round pick. We could see the Titans taking Ryan Matthews, Vinny Curry, and the Eagle's second pick for the second overall pick.
Tune into the 2015 NFL Draft at 8 PM on April 30th to see where this Duck will let the ball fly.
We all know that Jameis Winston will be wearing a Tampa Bay jersey next season, barring any legal issues, so everyone turns to Mariota, the only other quarterback worth drafting in the first round.
Here are some rumors going around about how people may try to get the former Duck:
Cleveland Browns Trade 12th & 19th Pick for Titans 2nd Overall
With Hoyer gone, Manziel in rehab, and a less than average QB in Josh McCown, HC Mike Pettine and the Browns need a true signal caller. This would greatly benefit both teams if this trade went through either on Draft Day or before that.
1. The Browns have been cursed when it comes to having two picks in the first round. The last two times this occured for Cleveland was in 2012 and 2014 Drafts. In 2012, the Browns selected QB Brandon Weeden & RB Trent Richardson. Since then, both players have been traded. Last year, the Browns selected CB Justin Gilbert and QB Johnny Manziel. Manziel has yet to score a touchdown and Gilbert had a less than mediocre season for being drafted 8th overall. Why not roll both of these available picks into one possible superstar pick?
2. The Titans have so many problems that it will not be fixed with a single draft pick. Getting two first rounders would be ideal to address problems on both sides of the ball. Possible help could come from DT Danny Shelton, OG Cameron Erving, WR DeVante Parker, or even CB Trae Waynes.
This could be a win-win for both teams, and the most likely trade of all of the possibilities.
San Diego Chargers Trade Phillip Rivers to Titans for 2nd Overall
Phillip Rivers is coming off a Pro-Bowl caliber season and has been looking great over the past few years. Last year alone, Rivers had the 10th highest QBR, above Andrew Luck and Russel Wilson. Having a seasoned Quarterback at the helm of the Tennessee Offense could certainly get things rolling.
But I disagree and think that the Titans should stay away from this option. Phillip Rivers is turning 34 this year. He has been in the league since 2004. Granted he has never been severely injured, but how much does he have left in the tank? Entering the final year of his 6-year $90 million contract with the Chargers, this could be a make-or-break year for Rivers.
With all of the problem areas in Tennessee, if Rivers went there, it would be a break year and River could retire from the game.
Philadelphia Eagles FINALLY Make Their Play
Since the McCoy-Alonso Trade was announced in late February, we know that HC Chip Kelly still has a thing for players from his old coaching job at Oregon. The Eagles currently have 10 players on the team that are from Oregon during the age of Chip and hold the 20th pick in the draft. It's not very likely Mariota will drop this far.
So what are the Eagles options? They could trade their draft picks for the next few years like the Redskins did for RG3 (we all see how that worked out). Chip Kelly has already come out saying they are not willing to risk their future on one guy.
Trade Sam Bradford? We have heard the Sam Bradford was on the trading block for a little bit, but could it be to get the second pick? It's highly unlikely that the Titans would want an injury prone QB after the retirement of former Titan QB Jake Locker, who was injured for every season.
The only way that I see that the Eagles could get Mariota at #2 without sacrificing first round picks would be to trade a RB, a DL, and a second or third round pick. We could see the Titans taking Ryan Matthews, Vinny Curry, and the Eagle's second pick for the second overall pick.
Tune into the 2015 NFL Draft at 8 PM on April 30th to see where this Duck will let the ball fly.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Mock Draft 1.0
Alright, the Season is over, the Combine is done, Free Agency has slowed down, and Pro Days are under way. With all of the analysis of the Draft I have put together, I think it is time for me to actually release a Mock Draft! With all of the thought I have put into this, as long as no other teams make a sudden movement, this should be pretty close. I will be releasing 2 more Mocks. One in the middle of April, and one the day of the first round, April 30th.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
We have heard this one for awhile. The Bucs do not have a good signal-caller to complement their talented receivers. With the right combination of youth, experience, and leadership, Winston can become the franchise quarterback for the Bucs.
2. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT, USC
With so many problems surrounding the Titans, it is hard to say they need a player at a certain position more than another. Their best option is to go with the best available player. With Williams' disruption on the line, he may be able to give some life to the Tennessee Defense.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr., OLB/DE, Florida
Jacksonville had a very heavy offensive draft last year. This year, it's finding ways to help elevate their 27th Overall ranked defense. Fowler was one of the most feared defenders in the SEC East last year for QBs to face. He, along with some of the other additions to the Jags in Free Agency, should be able to get things going quickly in a very weak AFC South.
4. Oakland Raiders: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Kevin White has a size advantage over Amari Cooper, and the Raiders need that. With Derek Carr needing some weapons to use on offense, a Dez Bryant look-a-like would not be a bad addition to a team that still needs some help on the offense.
5. Washington Redskins: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
The Skins need to improve their pass rush plain and simple. With the loss of Brian Orakpo at the OLB spot, Washington would be quick to put in another edge rusher. Having Ray's speed will be excellent for the two times Washington will have to face the Eagles and their hurry-up offense.
6. New York Jets: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Mariota will find a new home in New York. Things are not panning out with Geno Smith, even with some decent playmakers available to him like Percy Harvin and Eric Decker. Getting some new blood in the Jets locker room will either motivate Geno to do better or they will make Mariota the starter. Plus, with the acquisition of WR Brandon Marshall, more experienced receivers will help whoever that starting QB will be come opening day.
7. Chicago Bears: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
The Bears defense was pitiful last year. Ever since the loss of Jared Allen, they cannot get out of their own way. With a young secondary, they need to address their front four. Getting a pass rusher that also can close off the lateral runs would be key for Chicago in a NFC North that basically belongs to Green Bay.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson
Beasley was the commander of the Clemson defense this past year and had them ranked in the top 25 in defense. The Falcons desperately need to get their defense going. Since the loss of John Abraham and Brent Grimes, they have not had a true leader. Beasley has the experience and the athleticism to be that guy.
9. New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Even with Odell Beckham Jr. at their disposal, the Giants need help on offense. With Manning getting sacked 28 times and intercepted 14 times last season, and with their RBs getting injured so often, the offensive line needs to be bolstered, big time. Scherff is the best OT available. The Giants need to make this move to protect their franchise players.
10. St. Louis Rams: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Two years ago, the Rams draft Tavon Austin with the 7th pick. They pick up Kenny Britt. Brian Quick is shown as a decent receiver, but none of them are WR1 material. Cooper can outrun most corners, playing in the toughest conference last season and setting WR records left and right. If Cooper falls this far, there is no excuse not to take him so Nick Foles can have a new friend.
11. Minnesota Vikings: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
With the addition of Mike Wallace and their 2013 WR pick, Cordarelle Patterson, not panning out like they had planned, the Vikes need a new receiver. None would be better than getting a top receiver who played 2 years with their top QB. This connection needs to happen.
12. Cleveland Browns: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
The Browns used Free Agency to boost their defense and their WR core. This OT will help protect not only the duel RB game the Browns seem to working on with Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, but also to protect their QB, whether that be Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel.
13. New Orleans Saints: Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
The Saints lost Curtis Loften in Free Agency and now need someone to fill that roll. With the New Orleans defense being anything but good, a top LB should help them with not only the pass rush, but also slow down their opponent's passing game.
14. Miami Dolphins: Trae Wayne, CB, Washington
Miami worked Free Agency better than anyone else. They got rid of people that we not doing well or were not good for the team. The loss of Cortland Finnigan will be huge, so why not get a great CB with your first pick? Wayne will help the Miami defense become one of the best in the league with Grimes, Wake, and Suh on his side.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Bernardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
We all know the 49ers will go LB here. With the retiring of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, they need someone along side Navarro Bowman to help their defense. With all of the people the Niners have lost this offseason, they will be banking hard on this pick.
16. Houston Texans: Jaelen Strong, WR, ASU
Left with only DeAndre Hopkins and Cecil Shorts to help their QB, the Texans need a playmaker. Since Johnson is gone, it's time for a new guy. Strong is that guy. Averaging 7 catches and over 15 yards a catch per game, Strong is quick to get open and attempt to take it to the house. With most of the game heavily relying of Arian Foster, this will help the Texans compete with the Colts.
17. San Diego Chargers: Alvin "Bud" Dupree, DE, Kentucky
The Chargers lost some key defensive players, none more important than DE Dwight Freeney. Dupree was the only good player on the Wildcats this season with great speed off the line. Dupree will be a key piece to the Chargers success if he falls here.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri/Oklahoma
Time to get a college boy in there. As most people have heard, the Chiefs' WR did not score a TD this season. With the signing of Jeremy Maclin and his speed, DGB can be a great complement with his 6' 5" frame jumping over defenders for the ball. This addition will put the Chiefs right back in the playoff hunt.
19. Cleveland Browns (via trade with Buffalo) Danny Shelton, NT, Washington
The Browns do not have anyone on the line that will look like a threat to their offense. Jacksonville, who has the worst O-Line, had their RB run for 127 yards on them. The Browns need Shelton to put pressure on RBs up the middle, forcing them outside.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
With all of the moving around done by Chip Kelly this offseason, I would think they would try to protect the deep threat. In the last four weeks of the season, the Eagles gave up 5 TDs on passes longer than 20 yards. Three of those were in 1 game with a top fantasy receiver. The others were to has-been receivers. They need someone who can ball hawk like Collins.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The Bengals have been decent all around for the last 5 years, but have had troubles with their QB. By getting a new OL to give him some time, who knows? Dalton could actually win a playoff game for once in his career.
22. Pittsburg Steelers: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
The retiring of Jason Worilds is hard for the Steelers coming off of an impressive season. To fill this roll, Brown is a perfect fit. His size and athletic abilities are almost a mirror or Worilds. This would be the point of attack for the Steelers
23. Detroit Lions: Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
How will the Lions cope with the loss of Suh and Farley? They got Ngata and Armstead. The Lions would be smart to go to this position due to Ngata's ability to hit the outside and Armstead on the inside. With Armstead's size of 6' 7" 292 lbs., he can do some real damage on that defense.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
WOW! Yeah, this is my surprise right here. The Cardinals were looking to get AP, but that isn't going to work out. Since their other RBs are sub-par, enter Gordon. He will emulate the year that the Cards had Emmitt Smith, pushing people down and taking names. Him and Marshawn Lynch in the same conference? Good God.
25. Carolina Panthers: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA
With the departure of Greg Hardy, the Panthers need to reinforce their D-Line. Odighizuwa is the guy for this job. His long arms give him the ability to keep opposing tackles away from grabbing onto him so he can get around to sack the QB. The Panthers would basically be getting the Kraken 2.0 (Or we could call him the Leviathan)
26. Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Peters, CB, Michigan State
Baltimore's pass defense was terrible last year. With all of the injuries sustained, and all to no big names, they Ravens were scraping by to get someone good. Drafting Peters would give them a corner with no injury history, and a key piece of the Spartans Defense that won them their Bowl game.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Dallas needs a defense, everyone knows this. With he signing of Greg Hardy, they have an edge rusher. Now to work up the middle, they will get Goldman to work with Hardy, Lawrence, and Hayden on completing their front 4. Hopefully for them, Goldman will still be available.
28. Denver Broncos: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
With the departure of Travis Knighton, the Broncos are left with a large hole on their defensive line. Phillips will be drafted here due to his large frame of 6' 5" 329 lbs. This guy will make sure no RB goes through the line without seeing him.
29. Indianapolis Colts: Cameron Irving, OG, Florida State
The Colts did very well in Free Agency, getting tons of experience vets to play with very young talent. But with Andrew Luck, throwing the ball 40 times a game, the defense knows what is coming. Getting another big OL will help not only take pressure off of Luck, but more importantly, get a run game going for Frank Gore and the Colts RBs.
30. Green Bay Packers: Eli Harold, LB, Virginia
With the loss of AJ Hawk, and Clay Matthews not wanting to be and OLB, Harold is the guy the Packers need. Harold will fill the slot that Hawk left and will be a potential edge rusher while Matthews commands the secondary.
31. New Orleans Saints (via trade with Seattle) Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
Jimmy Graham is gone, Maxx Williams is in. For anyone who watched Williams play this year, he looked like another Graham, ready to go. Running like a WR and big like a TE. I fully expect to see him in the black and gold come opening day.
32. New England Patriots: Devin Furchasse, WR, Michigan
Tom Brady only has so many targets. Gronk is double covered like no one's business and the WR1&2 are both relatively small. Getting a bigger receiver should be a priority for the Pats. Fuchasse stands at 6' 4" while Amendola and Edelman are both under 6 foot. Furchasse is the obvious choice.
Well that's it for the first Mock Draft. Comment on Facebook and Twitter on who your team should draft or why they shouldn't draft who I chose.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
We have heard this one for awhile. The Bucs do not have a good signal-caller to complement their talented receivers. With the right combination of youth, experience, and leadership, Winston can become the franchise quarterback for the Bucs.
2. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT, USC
With so many problems surrounding the Titans, it is hard to say they need a player at a certain position more than another. Their best option is to go with the best available player. With Williams' disruption on the line, he may be able to give some life to the Tennessee Defense.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr., OLB/DE, Florida
Jacksonville had a very heavy offensive draft last year. This year, it's finding ways to help elevate their 27th Overall ranked defense. Fowler was one of the most feared defenders in the SEC East last year for QBs to face. He, along with some of the other additions to the Jags in Free Agency, should be able to get things going quickly in a very weak AFC South.
4. Oakland Raiders: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Kevin White has a size advantage over Amari Cooper, and the Raiders need that. With Derek Carr needing some weapons to use on offense, a Dez Bryant look-a-like would not be a bad addition to a team that still needs some help on the offense.
5. Washington Redskins: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
The Skins need to improve their pass rush plain and simple. With the loss of Brian Orakpo at the OLB spot, Washington would be quick to put in another edge rusher. Having Ray's speed will be excellent for the two times Washington will have to face the Eagles and their hurry-up offense.
6. New York Jets: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Mariota will find a new home in New York. Things are not panning out with Geno Smith, even with some decent playmakers available to him like Percy Harvin and Eric Decker. Getting some new blood in the Jets locker room will either motivate Geno to do better or they will make Mariota the starter. Plus, with the acquisition of WR Brandon Marshall, more experienced receivers will help whoever that starting QB will be come opening day.
7. Chicago Bears: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
The Bears defense was pitiful last year. Ever since the loss of Jared Allen, they cannot get out of their own way. With a young secondary, they need to address their front four. Getting a pass rusher that also can close off the lateral runs would be key for Chicago in a NFC North that basically belongs to Green Bay.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson
Beasley was the commander of the Clemson defense this past year and had them ranked in the top 25 in defense. The Falcons desperately need to get their defense going. Since the loss of John Abraham and Brent Grimes, they have not had a true leader. Beasley has the experience and the athleticism to be that guy.
9. New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Even with Odell Beckham Jr. at their disposal, the Giants need help on offense. With Manning getting sacked 28 times and intercepted 14 times last season, and with their RBs getting injured so often, the offensive line needs to be bolstered, big time. Scherff is the best OT available. The Giants need to make this move to protect their franchise players.
10. St. Louis Rams: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Two years ago, the Rams draft Tavon Austin with the 7th pick. They pick up Kenny Britt. Brian Quick is shown as a decent receiver, but none of them are WR1 material. Cooper can outrun most corners, playing in the toughest conference last season and setting WR records left and right. If Cooper falls this far, there is no excuse not to take him so Nick Foles can have a new friend.
11. Minnesota Vikings: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
With the addition of Mike Wallace and their 2013 WR pick, Cordarelle Patterson, not panning out like they had planned, the Vikes need a new receiver. None would be better than getting a top receiver who played 2 years with their top QB. This connection needs to happen.
12. Cleveland Browns: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
The Browns used Free Agency to boost their defense and their WR core. This OT will help protect not only the duel RB game the Browns seem to working on with Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, but also to protect their QB, whether that be Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel.
13. New Orleans Saints: Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
The Saints lost Curtis Loften in Free Agency and now need someone to fill that roll. With the New Orleans defense being anything but good, a top LB should help them with not only the pass rush, but also slow down their opponent's passing game.
14. Miami Dolphins: Trae Wayne, CB, Washington
Miami worked Free Agency better than anyone else. They got rid of people that we not doing well or were not good for the team. The loss of Cortland Finnigan will be huge, so why not get a great CB with your first pick? Wayne will help the Miami defense become one of the best in the league with Grimes, Wake, and Suh on his side.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Bernardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
We all know the 49ers will go LB here. With the retiring of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, they need someone along side Navarro Bowman to help their defense. With all of the people the Niners have lost this offseason, they will be banking hard on this pick.
16. Houston Texans: Jaelen Strong, WR, ASU
Left with only DeAndre Hopkins and Cecil Shorts to help their QB, the Texans need a playmaker. Since Johnson is gone, it's time for a new guy. Strong is that guy. Averaging 7 catches and over 15 yards a catch per game, Strong is quick to get open and attempt to take it to the house. With most of the game heavily relying of Arian Foster, this will help the Texans compete with the Colts.
17. San Diego Chargers: Alvin "Bud" Dupree, DE, Kentucky
The Chargers lost some key defensive players, none more important than DE Dwight Freeney. Dupree was the only good player on the Wildcats this season with great speed off the line. Dupree will be a key piece to the Chargers success if he falls here.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri/Oklahoma
Time to get a college boy in there. As most people have heard, the Chiefs' WR did not score a TD this season. With the signing of Jeremy Maclin and his speed, DGB can be a great complement with his 6' 5" frame jumping over defenders for the ball. This addition will put the Chiefs right back in the playoff hunt.
19. Cleveland Browns (via trade with Buffalo) Danny Shelton, NT, Washington
The Browns do not have anyone on the line that will look like a threat to their offense. Jacksonville, who has the worst O-Line, had their RB run for 127 yards on them. The Browns need Shelton to put pressure on RBs up the middle, forcing them outside.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
With all of the moving around done by Chip Kelly this offseason, I would think they would try to protect the deep threat. In the last four weeks of the season, the Eagles gave up 5 TDs on passes longer than 20 yards. Three of those were in 1 game with a top fantasy receiver. The others were to has-been receivers. They need someone who can ball hawk like Collins.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The Bengals have been decent all around for the last 5 years, but have had troubles with their QB. By getting a new OL to give him some time, who knows? Dalton could actually win a playoff game for once in his career.
22. Pittsburg Steelers: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
The retiring of Jason Worilds is hard for the Steelers coming off of an impressive season. To fill this roll, Brown is a perfect fit. His size and athletic abilities are almost a mirror or Worilds. This would be the point of attack for the Steelers
23. Detroit Lions: Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
How will the Lions cope with the loss of Suh and Farley? They got Ngata and Armstead. The Lions would be smart to go to this position due to Ngata's ability to hit the outside and Armstead on the inside. With Armstead's size of 6' 7" 292 lbs., he can do some real damage on that defense.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
WOW! Yeah, this is my surprise right here. The Cardinals were looking to get AP, but that isn't going to work out. Since their other RBs are sub-par, enter Gordon. He will emulate the year that the Cards had Emmitt Smith, pushing people down and taking names. Him and Marshawn Lynch in the same conference? Good God.
25. Carolina Panthers: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA
With the departure of Greg Hardy, the Panthers need to reinforce their D-Line. Odighizuwa is the guy for this job. His long arms give him the ability to keep opposing tackles away from grabbing onto him so he can get around to sack the QB. The Panthers would basically be getting the Kraken 2.0 (Or we could call him the Leviathan)
26. Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Peters, CB, Michigan State
Baltimore's pass defense was terrible last year. With all of the injuries sustained, and all to no big names, they Ravens were scraping by to get someone good. Drafting Peters would give them a corner with no injury history, and a key piece of the Spartans Defense that won them their Bowl game.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Dallas needs a defense, everyone knows this. With he signing of Greg Hardy, they have an edge rusher. Now to work up the middle, they will get Goldman to work with Hardy, Lawrence, and Hayden on completing their front 4. Hopefully for them, Goldman will still be available.
28. Denver Broncos: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
With the departure of Travis Knighton, the Broncos are left with a large hole on their defensive line. Phillips will be drafted here due to his large frame of 6' 5" 329 lbs. This guy will make sure no RB goes through the line without seeing him.
29. Indianapolis Colts: Cameron Irving, OG, Florida State
The Colts did very well in Free Agency, getting tons of experience vets to play with very young talent. But with Andrew Luck, throwing the ball 40 times a game, the defense knows what is coming. Getting another big OL will help not only take pressure off of Luck, but more importantly, get a run game going for Frank Gore and the Colts RBs.
30. Green Bay Packers: Eli Harold, LB, Virginia
With the loss of AJ Hawk, and Clay Matthews not wanting to be and OLB, Harold is the guy the Packers need. Harold will fill the slot that Hawk left and will be a potential edge rusher while Matthews commands the secondary.
31. New Orleans Saints (via trade with Seattle) Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
Jimmy Graham is gone, Maxx Williams is in. For anyone who watched Williams play this year, he looked like another Graham, ready to go. Running like a WR and big like a TE. I fully expect to see him in the black and gold come opening day.
32. New England Patriots: Devin Furchasse, WR, Michigan
Tom Brady only has so many targets. Gronk is double covered like no one's business and the WR1&2 are both relatively small. Getting a bigger receiver should be a priority for the Pats. Fuchasse stands at 6' 4" while Amendola and Edelman are both under 6 foot. Furchasse is the obvious choice.
Well that's it for the first Mock Draft. Comment on Facebook and Twitter on who your team should draft or why they shouldn't draft who I chose.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Free Agency Winners and Losers
With the frantic beginning of Free Agency over, we can now look closer at all of the pick-ups that were made by teams. Many teams with lots of cap space did well, while others failed to rise to the challenge or just sat out entirely. I have come up with the teams that won and lost Free Agency.
Who won Free Agency?
Jacksonville Jaguars:
Key Pickups: TE Julius Thomas, RG Jeremy Parnell, DB Davon House
Key Losses: WR Cecil Shorts, DE Red Bryant, CB Will Blackmon
The Jaguars had the most cap room out of any of the NFL teams, having over $70 million to spend on available players. They were not shy about using this money to lure players to the Sunshine State. With so many problems with his 4-12 team, where was one to start? The Jags got it right with getting a big time receiver like Julius Thomas from the Broncos. He alone accounted for 12 TDs last season, even with being injured and playing alongside three of the best wideouts in the league. Next, the Jags addressed the protection of not only the QB, but also their halfbacks. Getting Jeremy Parnell from Dallas was great due to Parnell being part of the best offensive line in the league. This will help the Jags with protection on offense. Finally, Jacksonville needed some help on the defensive side of the ball, being one of the worst in the league in overall yards allowed per game. Going out into Free Agency, the Jags landed a player at each of the key positions. With LB Dan Skuta, DT Jared Odrick, DB Davon House, and DB Sergio Brown, the Jags look like they made all of the right moves this offseason. Looking to the draft though, every analyst is looking towards the pass rush of Jacksonville to be filled by either Dante Fowler Jr. or Leonard Williams.
Indianapolis Colts:
Key Pickups: RB Frank Gore, WR Andre Johnson, OLB Trent Cole
Key Losses: WR Reggie Wayne, RB Trent Richardson, DE Ricky Jean-Francois
The Colts were able to kill it in Free Agency with the signing of some seasoned vets. The addition of a healthy Andre Johnson will help boost the experience of younger receivers like T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief. Having Frank Gore lining up behind Andrew Luck will be huge for the run game as long as Gore can get some blockers. The Colts run game was inconsistent all of last year with the switching between Richardson, Herron, and Bradshaw along with a sub-par offensive line. Gore will bring a veteran mindset to the position, something the Colts have not had for a long time. Adding Trent Cole to the defense was, I think, the best signing for the Colts. With being alone on the Eagles for so long as one of the only playmakers, you will see his stats rise as he will now have some more help along side Robert Mathis and Vonte Davis. Do not think though that the Colts will stop here. In the draft, they will probably address the offensive line trouble first and then move onto the defensive side of the ball. There is one acceptation: even with the addition of Frank Gore, do not be surprised if the Colts draft a RB.
Miami Dolphins:
Key Pickups: DT Ndamukong Suh, TE Jordan Cameron, WR Kenny Stills
Key Losses: WR Mike Wallace, CB Cortland Finnigan, TE Charles Clay
The Fins definitely signed the most big names of the Free Agency period. The key word to describe these past two weeks was passing. With the acquisition of one of the top TEs in the league and a young receiver like Stills, I expect to see a much different passing game from Miami come September. Even with the loss of Wallace, Hartline, and Gibson, Miami will most likely go after one of the top 5 receivers in the draft to fill that WR3 role below Stills and Landry. Defensively, Miami landed the number one Free Agent of the year. Suh has been the most feared man in the NFL since his arrival in 2010. Not just because he will get fined for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, but he clogs the middle of the field, forcing a RB to move left or right, giving his LBs a chance to catch the runner for a loss. The loss of Cortland Finnigan is difficult due to his presence opposite of Brent Grimes, but this will likely be addressed with the second pick by the Dolphins.
Who Lost Free Agency?
Dallas Cowboys:
Key Pickups: CB Corey White, RB Darren McFadden, LB Jasper Brinkley
Key Losses: RB DeMarco Murray, DT Henry Melton, LB Justin Durant
The Cowboys sat back in Free Agency and watched as their players left for greener pastures. By that, I mean they are getting paid more. With the loss of Melton, Durant, and even Carter to either rush the QB or defend the pass, the Cowboy's defense is looking worse than it did last season. The loss of Murray was huge for Dallas, but not entirely a bust. With Dallas' offensive line, plug any back into that system & they will have at least a 1,200 yard season. The only reason I can still have hope for Dallas is the idea that they will build around young talent through the next two drafts. With the exception of a RB either first or second round, I highly expect the other picks in the draft to be defensive only.
There is one bit of hope for Dallas: signing DE Greg Hardy. Later today (3/18), Hardy will make his decision to either sign with the Cowboys or the Bucs for the upcoming season. Since Dallas has not used a large chunk of cap room on any of their pickups, I would expect to see Hardy to be signed to at least a 3-year deal worth somewhere over $25 million.
San Francisco 49ers:
Key Pickups: CB Sterling Moore, WR Torrey Smith, RB Reggie Bush
Key Losses: LB Patrick Willis, RB Frank Gore, S Perish Cox
The 49ers are in a state of woe right now. Over the past 2 months they've lost a coach, a 7-time Pro Bowl LB, a Veteran RB, and rumors of their star QB on the trading block. This offseason is literally leaving all 49ers fans on suicide watch. With all of the losses sustained by San Francisco, it is hard to think that they could be fourth place in the NFC West come next season. The Niners did the best they could this offseason by adding people at positions where they lost some names. Swapping Gore for Bush, Stevie Johnson for Torrey Smith, but these could all be in vain. Without that star-studded defense we have come to expect out of the Bay area, how do they expect to contend in a conference that now has Nick Foles, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jimmy Graham? To my friends who are 49ers fans, I hope you have a great draft, you'll need it.
Who won Free Agency?
Jacksonville Jaguars:
Key Pickups: TE Julius Thomas, RG Jeremy Parnell, DB Davon House
Key Losses: WR Cecil Shorts, DE Red Bryant, CB Will Blackmon
The Jaguars had the most cap room out of any of the NFL teams, having over $70 million to spend on available players. They were not shy about using this money to lure players to the Sunshine State. With so many problems with his 4-12 team, where was one to start? The Jags got it right with getting a big time receiver like Julius Thomas from the Broncos. He alone accounted for 12 TDs last season, even with being injured and playing alongside three of the best wideouts in the league. Next, the Jags addressed the protection of not only the QB, but also their halfbacks. Getting Jeremy Parnell from Dallas was great due to Parnell being part of the best offensive line in the league. This will help the Jags with protection on offense. Finally, Jacksonville needed some help on the defensive side of the ball, being one of the worst in the league in overall yards allowed per game. Going out into Free Agency, the Jags landed a player at each of the key positions. With LB Dan Skuta, DT Jared Odrick, DB Davon House, and DB Sergio Brown, the Jags look like they made all of the right moves this offseason. Looking to the draft though, every analyst is looking towards the pass rush of Jacksonville to be filled by either Dante Fowler Jr. or Leonard Williams.
Indianapolis Colts:
Key Pickups: RB Frank Gore, WR Andre Johnson, OLB Trent Cole
Key Losses: WR Reggie Wayne, RB Trent Richardson, DE Ricky Jean-Francois
The Colts were able to kill it in Free Agency with the signing of some seasoned vets. The addition of a healthy Andre Johnson will help boost the experience of younger receivers like T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief. Having Frank Gore lining up behind Andrew Luck will be huge for the run game as long as Gore can get some blockers. The Colts run game was inconsistent all of last year with the switching between Richardson, Herron, and Bradshaw along with a sub-par offensive line. Gore will bring a veteran mindset to the position, something the Colts have not had for a long time. Adding Trent Cole to the defense was, I think, the best signing for the Colts. With being alone on the Eagles for so long as one of the only playmakers, you will see his stats rise as he will now have some more help along side Robert Mathis and Vonte Davis. Do not think though that the Colts will stop here. In the draft, they will probably address the offensive line trouble first and then move onto the defensive side of the ball. There is one acceptation: even with the addition of Frank Gore, do not be surprised if the Colts draft a RB.
Miami Dolphins:
Key Pickups: DT Ndamukong Suh, TE Jordan Cameron, WR Kenny Stills
Key Losses: WR Mike Wallace, CB Cortland Finnigan, TE Charles Clay
The Fins definitely signed the most big names of the Free Agency period. The key word to describe these past two weeks was passing. With the acquisition of one of the top TEs in the league and a young receiver like Stills, I expect to see a much different passing game from Miami come September. Even with the loss of Wallace, Hartline, and Gibson, Miami will most likely go after one of the top 5 receivers in the draft to fill that WR3 role below Stills and Landry. Defensively, Miami landed the number one Free Agent of the year. Suh has been the most feared man in the NFL since his arrival in 2010. Not just because he will get fined for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, but he clogs the middle of the field, forcing a RB to move left or right, giving his LBs a chance to catch the runner for a loss. The loss of Cortland Finnigan is difficult due to his presence opposite of Brent Grimes, but this will likely be addressed with the second pick by the Dolphins.
Who Lost Free Agency?
Dallas Cowboys:
Key Pickups: CB Corey White, RB Darren McFadden, LB Jasper Brinkley
Key Losses: RB DeMarco Murray, DT Henry Melton, LB Justin Durant
The Cowboys sat back in Free Agency and watched as their players left for greener pastures. By that, I mean they are getting paid more. With the loss of Melton, Durant, and even Carter to either rush the QB or defend the pass, the Cowboy's defense is looking worse than it did last season. The loss of Murray was huge for Dallas, but not entirely a bust. With Dallas' offensive line, plug any back into that system & they will have at least a 1,200 yard season. The only reason I can still have hope for Dallas is the idea that they will build around young talent through the next two drafts. With the exception of a RB either first or second round, I highly expect the other picks in the draft to be defensive only.
There is one bit of hope for Dallas: signing DE Greg Hardy. Later today (3/18), Hardy will make his decision to either sign with the Cowboys or the Bucs for the upcoming season. Since Dallas has not used a large chunk of cap room on any of their pickups, I would expect to see Hardy to be signed to at least a 3-year deal worth somewhere over $25 million.
San Francisco 49ers:
Key Pickups: CB Sterling Moore, WR Torrey Smith, RB Reggie Bush
Key Losses: LB Patrick Willis, RB Frank Gore, S Perish Cox
The 49ers are in a state of woe right now. Over the past 2 months they've lost a coach, a 7-time Pro Bowl LB, a Veteran RB, and rumors of their star QB on the trading block. This offseason is literally leaving all 49ers fans on suicide watch. With all of the losses sustained by San Francisco, it is hard to think that they could be fourth place in the NFC West come next season. The Niners did the best they could this offseason by adding people at positions where they lost some names. Swapping Gore for Bush, Stevie Johnson for Torrey Smith, but these could all be in vain. Without that star-studded defense we have come to expect out of the Bay area, how do they expect to contend in a conference that now has Nick Foles, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jimmy Graham? To my friends who are 49ers fans, I hope you have a great draft, you'll need it.
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