CARSON GOES CUTLER ON BENGALS, SEAT-GATE GETS UGLIER, BRONCO WR HURT & MORE EMAILS
It worked for Jay Cutler, drop hints you want to be traded & then put your house on the market. That's what Bengals' quarterback Carson Palmer has done in the past few days. Word got around Cincinnati within the last two weeks Palmer wants out, he wants to be traded elsewhere. Then yesterday his Cincinnati home went on the market. I don't see Marvin Lewis giving Palmer his wish without Cutler-like compensation. Maybe not 2-first round picks, but certainly 2-high round selections. Unless he's traded before March 6th, when the current collective bargaining agreement expires, he's staying put with the Bengals. Once the deadline passes, no player movement will be allowed.
Nothing has been done to fix the roof at the Minnesota Metrodome. It failed during a major snowstorm in mid-December. After 6-weeks, the report is in: the roof needs to be repaired. Wow, the Blue-Ribbon Panel that came to that conclusion is amazing isn't it? The roof has two large tears in it & needs to be replaced before next season. WooHoo, finally an answer to all those questions regarding just what could be done. Considering the two options were repair it or blow the place up & start over again, why did it take 6-weeks to figure out the choices? The Vikings were very unmoved by the report, for almost a decade, they've wanted a new stadium. With budget shortfalls, it's unlikely the state will authorize such an expenditure & any bond issues are doomed to fail again with voters. So luckily, Minnesotans have this report with which they can begin the long process of getting the roof repaired. But first, another panel will need to be formed to regulate the bid process & possibly another to approve/disapprove of each bid. I love how government leaps into action once a solution is determined.
So will the Chiefs sign potential free agent Tamba Hali before the current CBA expires or will they have to slap the franchise tag upon the talented outside linebacker. Hali, who finished 3rd in sacks league-wide plus two more in the playoff game with Baltimore, would receive nearly $15 million with the franchise tag. GM Scott Pioli signed Derrick Johnson & Jamaal Charles during the season but wouldn't negotiate with Hali's agent until just recently. Tamba Hali has done everything asked of him since being drafted in 2006 with the Chiefs' 1st round selection. The 275-pound former defensive end was moved to outside linebacker before the 2009 season & he has flourished in his new role. The Chiefs wanted him to become a feared pass rusher & with his non-stop motor, he has done exactly that. He deserves a new contract & Chiefs' fans want Hali in a Kansas City uniform for a long time. The good news is the two camps are talking contract, but can they get a deal in place before the deadline?
I cautioned many of the Kansas City faithful about getting ahead of ourselves. I said this team is really not ready for prime time & I'm not alone. SI.com listed the top teams to be worried about next season & the Chiefs were #1. They listed Charlie Weis' departure, questions regarding the new offensive coordinator Bill Muir, free agents(Hali, Brandon Carr) & age(Casey Weigmann & Brian Waters). Many people around the league think the Chiefs could be in for a major fall next season, especially with the schedule they've been dealt.
The Super Bowl Seat-Gate mess just gets worse by the day. On Thursday it was revealed a few of the first people to sue the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys & Jerry Jones are Cowboy season ticket holders. People who paid as much as $100,000 for their personal seat license(PSL). They were then "allowed" to purchase a $1,200 Super Bowl ticket at face value. Since many of their seats weren't finished, some of these Cowboy faithful were seated on a metal folding chair in a section with an obstructed view. Even tho the NFL has stepped forward to take all the heat regarding this mess, it's clear the Cowboys are culpable as well. Their fans aren't thrilled with the way they've been treated & that's why Jones & his team are named in this first lawsuit.
Auburn QB Cam Newton had his "Media Workout Day" in sunny San Diego on Thursday. It wasn't open to scouts, just media. He ran around in gym shorts throwing passes & demonstrating to the media just how hard he's working before the NFL draft in April. Last time I checked the media doesn't draft anybody, scouts scout, coaches coach & general managers pick players. Mike Mayock of The NFL Network, one of the most astute judges of NFL talent anywhere, says people shouldn't be mislead by Newton's great workout today. Mayock said "It's all orchestrated, planned & choreographed. You wanna see how a kid plays, watch a game film. The all-time best QB workout I ever saw was JaMarcus Russell, how'd he turn out?"
The Denver Broncos hard a hard time keeping their number one draft pick from last year, WR Demaryius Thomas, off the injured list. He came into last year's draft rehabbing a broken foot. It continued to cause him problems as training camp opened & he missed opening day. After December 1, Thomas missed 5 of the last 6 games, his reception total of just 22 was very disappointing. Now he's hurt again & it will be a longtime before he'll be running pass patterns. Thomas ruptured his Achilles tendon which will require surgery. His recovery time will be from 6-8 months. Tough break for a really decent young man & for a team struggling to rebuild.
Got a couple of good email questions in the last two days, let's get to them.
A newspaper guy who's been good to me, Rance Burger, was intrigued by my take on Phillip Hunt yesterday. The CFL pass rushing demon is currently being wooed by a number of NFL teams who passed on him in the 2009 draft. Rance correctly pointed out differences in the CFL that actually impede pass rushers. Defensive linemen must stay at least 1-yard off the ball unlike the ball-length rule in the NFL. Increasing the size of the neutral zone helps the offensive blocker. Rance also mentioned in the CFL they prefer quicker, more agile offensive tackles, another intended impairment to pass rushers. One more note on the CFL, Hunt garnered 16 sacks in the 18-game season, but he did it in a sport that only has 3 downs as opposed to American football's four. Two more games to gets sacks, but fewer downs to get them. Thanks Rance for the input, always enjoy your take on things.
MSGTFlores has finally made back to the "world" as he rotated in December. Welcome back & thank you for your service to our country. His question was "how many Mizzou Tigers could realistically go to the NFL this year?" Sarge, I think we're looking at four, possibly five. QB Blaine Gabbert & DE Aldon Smith should both go very high in April's draft. I think top-10 for Gabbert & top-15 for Smith. But that opinion could change after the combine. Defensive back Kevin Rutland will certainly be drafted as will center Tim Barnes. Cornerback Carl Gettis could sneak into the draft's 7th round. I was concerned that Barnes was not invited to the combine, I see him as a 5th-6th round talent at either center or guard. Former Tiger running back Derrick Washington would certainly have been drafted but he opted instead for the legal system, being charged with multiple sexual assaults, dismissed from the team. He had NFL skills, now sadly, that's all gone away.
DT58HOF asked who I liked for the Chiefs this April, "who do they need, who can they reasonably expect to get?" First you define the Chiefs' weaknesses, then you identify the strengths of this draft class. You have to take into account the type of player Pioli favors, the solid citizen, the team captains. Then you have to project where the remainder of the talent will fall, not only by round but by team. After that, you can get a pretty small list of possible choices. Please understand all of this can change in a heartbeat if someone chokes the combine or a campus workout. Sustaining an injury makes a huge difference as well. Some guys will shoot up draft boards with superior workouts, but remember you don't play NFL football in gym shorts & T-shirts, how a guy looks in pads under fire is the best way to analyze a football player.
Round 1(21st pick) C-G Mike Pouncey, Florida. Twin brother of Steelers Pro Bowl center Markice. A real need for Kansas City & being a twin from the same college system, he's going to be another winner.
Pouncey twins, Markice & Mike
OR: NT Phil Taylor, Baylor. Taylor from Baylor. The 337-pound strongman made everyone setup & pay attention at the Senior Bowl. He's almost immovable, he can walk the center or guard right back into the QB with a powerful bull rush but most importantly for a nose tackle, he can stalemate a doubleteam.
Round 2(53rd pick) OLB Brooks Reed, Arizona. If you saw the Iowa game or any of the Senior Bowl practices, Reed just jumped off the screen. The 6' 3" 262-pound co-captain played defensive end but at the Senior Bowl he played standing up as well as with his hand in the dirt. Very quick, relentless, just the type of bookend Kansas City needs for Tamba Hali.
OR: WR/KR Randall Cobb, Kentucky. Cobb does it all, returns kicks, runs the Wildcat offense, carries the ball out of the backfield, but what he does best is catch the ball outside. The 5' 11" 193-pound Cobb is both quick & fast as well as a very dangerous runner after the catch. He caught 84 passes for 1,017-yards & 7 scores. He also threw 3 TD passes & ran for another 5.
Round 3(if Cobb isn't selected) WR Jerrel Jernigan, Troy. The 5' 9" 183-pound speedster will stretch a defense. He scored 19 touchdowns receiving & another 6 running reverses while at Troy. His game is excellent but he needs work getting off the line quicker, physical corners can get him off his routes. But Jernigan is the type of player the Chiefs need opposite Dwayne Bowe.
OR: WR Vincent Brown, San Diego State. A very polished route runner who catches everything with his hands, ball never seems to get into his body or pads. Just superior hands. A very disciplined player who is a pretty fierce blocker for his size(5' 11" 185). Brown caught 209 passes & scored 23 touchdowns for the Aztecs.
The Chiefs have a number of receivers on their rosters who are anything but. Chambers should be gone, Tucker & Copper are superior special teams players who can fill in in emergency situations. but at best they are #4 & 5 receivers. They should never start. Kansas City needs wide receivers who have been in passing offenses, who have been successful in every phase at the college level. No more projects, the time has come for Bowe, Moeaki & whoever they draft this April to produce in a major way, week after week after week. No more disappearing acts at the end of the season.
I'll have a lot more more weekly as we get closer to both the combine & the draft. If all else fails(the CBA negotiations) it's all we have till college football starts.
Nothing has been done to fix the roof at the Minnesota Metrodome. It failed during a major snowstorm in mid-December. After 6-weeks, the report is in: the roof needs to be repaired. Wow, the Blue-Ribbon Panel that came to that conclusion is amazing isn't it? The roof has two large tears in it & needs to be replaced before next season. WooHoo, finally an answer to all those questions regarding just what could be done. Considering the two options were repair it or blow the place up & start over again, why did it take 6-weeks to figure out the choices? The Vikings were very unmoved by the report, for almost a decade, they've wanted a new stadium. With budget shortfalls, it's unlikely the state will authorize such an expenditure & any bond issues are doomed to fail again with voters. So luckily, Minnesotans have this report with which they can begin the long process of getting the roof repaired. But first, another panel will need to be formed to regulate the bid process & possibly another to approve/disapprove of each bid. I love how government leaps into action once a solution is determined.
So will the Chiefs sign potential free agent Tamba Hali before the current CBA expires or will they have to slap the franchise tag upon the talented outside linebacker. Hali, who finished 3rd in sacks league-wide plus two more in the playoff game with Baltimore, would receive nearly $15 million with the franchise tag. GM Scott Pioli signed Derrick Johnson & Jamaal Charles during the season but wouldn't negotiate with Hali's agent until just recently. Tamba Hali has done everything asked of him since being drafted in 2006 with the Chiefs' 1st round selection. The 275-pound former defensive end was moved to outside linebacker before the 2009 season & he has flourished in his new role. The Chiefs wanted him to become a feared pass rusher & with his non-stop motor, he has done exactly that. He deserves a new contract & Chiefs' fans want Hali in a Kansas City uniform for a long time. The good news is the two camps are talking contract, but can they get a deal in place before the deadline?
I cautioned many of the Kansas City faithful about getting ahead of ourselves. I said this team is really not ready for prime time & I'm not alone. SI.com listed the top teams to be worried about next season & the Chiefs were #1. They listed Charlie Weis' departure, questions regarding the new offensive coordinator Bill Muir, free agents(Hali, Brandon Carr) & age(Casey Weigmann & Brian Waters). Many people around the league think the Chiefs could be in for a major fall next season, especially with the schedule they've been dealt.
The Super Bowl Seat-Gate mess just gets worse by the day. On Thursday it was revealed a few of the first people to sue the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys & Jerry Jones are Cowboy season ticket holders. People who paid as much as $100,000 for their personal seat license(PSL). They were then "allowed" to purchase a $1,200 Super Bowl ticket at face value. Since many of their seats weren't finished, some of these Cowboy faithful were seated on a metal folding chair in a section with an obstructed view. Even tho the NFL has stepped forward to take all the heat regarding this mess, it's clear the Cowboys are culpable as well. Their fans aren't thrilled with the way they've been treated & that's why Jones & his team are named in this first lawsuit.
Auburn QB Cam Newton had his "Media Workout Day" in sunny San Diego on Thursday. It wasn't open to scouts, just media. He ran around in gym shorts throwing passes & demonstrating to the media just how hard he's working before the NFL draft in April. Last time I checked the media doesn't draft anybody, scouts scout, coaches coach & general managers pick players. Mike Mayock of The NFL Network, one of the most astute judges of NFL talent anywhere, says people shouldn't be mislead by Newton's great workout today. Mayock said "It's all orchestrated, planned & choreographed. You wanna see how a kid plays, watch a game film. The all-time best QB workout I ever saw was JaMarcus Russell, how'd he turn out?"
The Denver Broncos hard a hard time keeping their number one draft pick from last year, WR Demaryius Thomas, off the injured list. He came into last year's draft rehabbing a broken foot. It continued to cause him problems as training camp opened & he missed opening day. After December 1, Thomas missed 5 of the last 6 games, his reception total of just 22 was very disappointing. Now he's hurt again & it will be a longtime before he'll be running pass patterns. Thomas ruptured his Achilles tendon which will require surgery. His recovery time will be from 6-8 months. Tough break for a really decent young man & for a team struggling to rebuild.
Got a couple of good email questions in the last two days, let's get to them.
A newspaper guy who's been good to me, Rance Burger, was intrigued by my take on Phillip Hunt yesterday. The CFL pass rushing demon is currently being wooed by a number of NFL teams who passed on him in the 2009 draft. Rance correctly pointed out differences in the CFL that actually impede pass rushers. Defensive linemen must stay at least 1-yard off the ball unlike the ball-length rule in the NFL. Increasing the size of the neutral zone helps the offensive blocker. Rance also mentioned in the CFL they prefer quicker, more agile offensive tackles, another intended impairment to pass rushers. One more note on the CFL, Hunt garnered 16 sacks in the 18-game season, but he did it in a sport that only has 3 downs as opposed to American football's four. Two more games to gets sacks, but fewer downs to get them. Thanks Rance for the input, always enjoy your take on things.
MSGTFlores has finally made back to the "world" as he rotated in December. Welcome back & thank you for your service to our country. His question was "how many Mizzou Tigers could realistically go to the NFL this year?" Sarge, I think we're looking at four, possibly five. QB Blaine Gabbert & DE Aldon Smith should both go very high in April's draft. I think top-10 for Gabbert & top-15 for Smith. But that opinion could change after the combine. Defensive back Kevin Rutland will certainly be drafted as will center Tim Barnes. Cornerback Carl Gettis could sneak into the draft's 7th round. I was concerned that Barnes was not invited to the combine, I see him as a 5th-6th round talent at either center or guard. Former Tiger running back Derrick Washington would certainly have been drafted but he opted instead for the legal system, being charged with multiple sexual assaults, dismissed from the team. He had NFL skills, now sadly, that's all gone away.
DT58HOF asked who I liked for the Chiefs this April, "who do they need, who can they reasonably expect to get?" First you define the Chiefs' weaknesses, then you identify the strengths of this draft class. You have to take into account the type of player Pioli favors, the solid citizen, the team captains. Then you have to project where the remainder of the talent will fall, not only by round but by team. After that, you can get a pretty small list of possible choices. Please understand all of this can change in a heartbeat if someone chokes the combine or a campus workout. Sustaining an injury makes a huge difference as well. Some guys will shoot up draft boards with superior workouts, but remember you don't play NFL football in gym shorts & T-shirts, how a guy looks in pads under fire is the best way to analyze a football player.
Round 1(21st pick) C-G Mike Pouncey, Florida. Twin brother of Steelers Pro Bowl center Markice. A real need for Kansas City & being a twin from the same college system, he's going to be another winner.
Pouncey twins, Markice & Mike
OR: NT Phil Taylor, Baylor. Taylor from Baylor. The 337-pound strongman made everyone setup & pay attention at the Senior Bowl. He's almost immovable, he can walk the center or guard right back into the QB with a powerful bull rush but most importantly for a nose tackle, he can stalemate a doubleteam.
Round 2(53rd pick) OLB Brooks Reed, Arizona. If you saw the Iowa game or any of the Senior Bowl practices, Reed just jumped off the screen. The 6' 3" 262-pound co-captain played defensive end but at the Senior Bowl he played standing up as well as with his hand in the dirt. Very quick, relentless, just the type of bookend Kansas City needs for Tamba Hali.
OR: WR/KR Randall Cobb, Kentucky. Cobb does it all, returns kicks, runs the Wildcat offense, carries the ball out of the backfield, but what he does best is catch the ball outside. The 5' 11" 193-pound Cobb is both quick & fast as well as a very dangerous runner after the catch. He caught 84 passes for 1,017-yards & 7 scores. He also threw 3 TD passes & ran for another 5.
Round 3(if Cobb isn't selected) WR Jerrel Jernigan, Troy. The 5' 9" 183-pound speedster will stretch a defense. He scored 19 touchdowns receiving & another 6 running reverses while at Troy. His game is excellent but he needs work getting off the line quicker, physical corners can get him off his routes. But Jernigan is the type of player the Chiefs need opposite Dwayne Bowe.
OR: WR Vincent Brown, San Diego State. A very polished route runner who catches everything with his hands, ball never seems to get into his body or pads. Just superior hands. A very disciplined player who is a pretty fierce blocker for his size(5' 11" 185). Brown caught 209 passes & scored 23 touchdowns for the Aztecs.
The Chiefs have a number of receivers on their rosters who are anything but. Chambers should be gone, Tucker & Copper are superior special teams players who can fill in in emergency situations. but at best they are #4 & 5 receivers. They should never start. Kansas City needs wide receivers who have been in passing offenses, who have been successful in every phase at the college level. No more projects, the time has come for Bowe, Moeaki & whoever they draft this April to produce in a major way, week after week after week. No more disappearing acts at the end of the season.
I'll have a lot more more weekly as we get closer to both the combine & the draft. If all else fails(the CBA negotiations) it's all we have till college football starts.
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