Category: Minnesota Vikings

Many Prospects Connected to Bears “Overrated” and Other Points of View

Bears

“Wilson competes with Nevada outside linebacker Dontay Moch as this year’s most impressive workout warrior linebacker. Wilson struggles locating the football, making him significantly slower on the field than the 6-4, 250-pounder timed at the combine (4.46-second electronic time). This is particularly troublesome for Wilson considering he’s played linebacker for three seasons with the Illini, as opposed to Moch, who starred as a defensive end. Wilson might measure like a first-rounder, but his tape says he’s closer to a third-round pick.”

Amongst the other potential Bears picks that Rang thinks are overrated are Titus Young, Nate Solder and Mike Pouncey.  Not good.  Amongst the potential underrated players, Rang has Ricki Stanzi as being undervalued.  The Bears probably are looking for a developmental quarterback but Stanzi may go higher in the middle rounds than they’d like.

  • The Bears are not known to take chances on players with character issues but former NFL safety Matt Bowen at the National Football Postthinks that if Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith fell into the late first round, he might be hard to pass up.
  • On a related note, the experts at NFP take a look at the Bears draft room in a couple videos here.  For those who aren’t familiar with the staff at the Post, former Bears director of college scouting Greg Gabriel and Bowen, a former safety (and a Chicagoan) who played previously under head coach Love Smith with the Rams are on this panel.  Let’s just say they know the Bears pretty well.  This video is well worth watching.  Its a shame they won’t allow it to be embedded here.
  • Gabriel also breaks down offensive tackles Solder and Tyron Smith.  Some mock drafts have Solder falling to the Bears.  Gabriel has this interesting comment about him:

“Because of his narrow frame, you have to question whether or not he will get much stronger in the lower body. Over the years I have seen players like this make weight room gains but not functional strength gains.”

Elsewhere

  • Andy Benoit at The New York Times does another one of his “What the Film Revealed” studies, this time of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Here’s an interesting take:

“Myth Buster

“3-4 defensive ends are just run anchors

“For most teams, this is true. But for the Steelers, the defensive end position is where favorable defensive mismatches in the run game are created. Brett Keisel’s agility, more than his power, makes him a force. (This is also true for Aaron Smith…when he’s healthy.) Keisel creates congestion along the line of scrimmage primarily through lateral movement and penetration. Having this kind of mobility at defensive end gives [defensive coordinator Dick] LeBeau more variations in his scheme.”

“Joe Flacco, the prototype quarterback,  continued his growth, but he still wasn’t consistent between the numbers. Far too much of the passing game took place underneath and outside, where the reads tend to be simpler… The running game sputtered a bit compared with 2009, largely because the offensive line occasionally struggled to generate raw power. Michael Oher, moving to the left side, was disconcertingly average, at least given the hype around him. At this point, saying Oher is a budding star is akin to  nominating a folksy but cliché-ridden feel-good family sports movie for Best Picture simply to appease the mainstream audience.”

One Final Thought

Mike Freeman at CBSSports.com interviews former NFL quarterback Warren Moon who believes ciriticism of Newton is “racially biased” and that he is “extremely angry” about it.  Which makes me extremely angry.  Fortunately Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com does a good job of debunking this nonsense so I don’t have to.

Teams Who Have Things Like “Quarterback Schools” and Teams Who Don’t. And Other Points of View.

Bears

“You can’t be real excited about a guy’s play that year when they’re beaten out by someone else.  Zach went into the season as the starter, and didn’t play as well as he needed to early on, which allowed Tim [Jennings] to take advantage of that opportunity. So Zach needs to come back [strong] this year, which he’s capable of doing.”

  • John Mullin at CSNChicago.com (in my opinion correctly) points out the the Bears are probably looking to improve the interior of the offensive line rather than offensive tackle.
  • ChicagoBears.com is doing an interesting series of videos on the draft’s top 30 prospects.  I don’t think its likely Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith will fall to the Bears but character issues might drag him down:

  • Most Bear fans would be extremely happy if Florida guard/center Mike Pouncey fell to them:

Kicking and Screaming – Ditka’s Soccer Practice
Tags: Kicking and Screaming – Ditka’s Soccer Practice

Elsewhere

“While Nawrocki concedes Newton’s physical skills are immense, he still considers the Auburn QB a risky gamble on greatness.

“Under ‘negatives’ for Newton, Nawrocki writes: ‘Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room. … Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.’”

  • As are the Chargers:

“It would take a skilled psychologist to determine what goes through the mind of an NFL player that had the world at his fingertips and willfully let it all slip away.”

“Did the Jets know about Ainge’s problems before or after the draft?  If they didn’t know, it raises a lot of questions about drug-testing procedures in the league.”

  • Michael Silver at Yahoo Sports correctly points out the powerlessness of the NFL fan to do anything about the NFL lockout.  The only substantial thing you can do is to stop allowing the NFL owners and players from making money from you.  That is, to stop being a fan.  Which kind of defeats the purpose.
  • Now that AFLAC has fired Gilbert Gottfried, Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones wants to be the new mascot:

One Final Thought

Seifert, ESPN‘s NFC North blogger, quotes Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy in a nice entry about the team’s quarterback school, something McCarthy runs every March:

“…it’s to give those young quarterbacks that chance to go back to square one every year. You learn the base protections, all the adjustments, I’ve been in the same offense since 1989, and I still learn something new each year. You’re never too experienced or been in it long enough to not find a better way this year.

“Because today’s game, it’s just a big circle. The NFL is just a circle of adjustments, whether it’s the 3-4, or whether it’s the 4-3, whether you’re spreading them out or running the ball. You really don’t run new plays. There are so many great coaches and players that have come before us and you’re just reinventing the stuff that have been done over history. You try to stay one step ahead of your opponents.”

Its not hard to figure out why the Packers won the Super Bowl last year.  The players are expected to go the extra mile in preparation and they do it.

I’d suggest that the Bears should run on one of these “quarterback schools”, too.  But you’d need a coach who could teach something to quarterbacks who will listen.  I’ve seen little evidence that the Bears have either.  That tells you something.

NFL Considering Scab Owners and Other Points of View

Bears

“There’s not many perfect fits for that three-technique for Chicago but you could see maybe a Corey Liuget out of Illinois. I’ve got him going 14th to the Rams but after the Rams, there’s not many teams looking for a true defensive tackle. I personally think he’d be a better fit as a nose tackle in a 4-3…[but] if he’s there at 29 you’d have to think long and hard about passing on a guy like Liuget.”

“Most of our guys … they are smaller receivers, so to have a little bit of a different flavor wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

  • Omar Kelly at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has posted this interesting video of Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano talking about finding an NFL center.  He’s talking about moving guard Richie Incognito to the position.  Many believe that the Bears are looking for someone to either replace or groom behind Olin Kreutz:

  • Bob Sturm at the Dallas Morning News points to this video which demonstrates why he thinks offensive tackle Nick Solder is overrated.  Most experts believe that the Bears would take Solder if he fell to them.  This is not a flattering picture of a guy who was flat out dominated by a smaller, quicker man.

Elsewhere

  • Tom Pelissero at 1500ESPN.com in Minnesota adds up the clues and comes to the conclusion that the Vikings may be looking to trade up and take a run at Blaine Gabbert.
  • Elizabeth Merrill at ESPN profiles Gabbert.  I know that there are no character concerns for him but there’s something off when a guy has had a personal trainer simce the eighth grade.  I don’t want to make too big a deal of it but it hardly sounds like a normal upbringing.  I hope we aren’t talking about  Todd Marinovich.
  • Drew Sharp at the Detroit Free Press tries to convince us that the lockout will hurt the Lions “far worse” than most teams.  The Lions have a stable coaching staff with no scheme changes.
  • Chris McCosky at The Detroit News quotes Lions head coach Jim Schwartz on Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith:

“I learned a long time ago that you can’t judge a guy on a quote, on what a guy said or what you heard that he said.  If you don’t know the guy, you can’t judge him.”

Smith has four failed drug tests.  I don’t think this is a case of “he said, she said”.

  • Schwartz and Tom Kowalski at mlive.com are still trying to find a way to twist poor coaching and Calvin Johnson‘s error into a catch.  These guys need to get together with Bob Costas and get it all out by throwing a pity party and having a good group cry.  I was at Missouri during the fifth down controversy and even we didn’t whine this much for this long with a lot more justification.
  • Vic Carucci at NFL.com has Bear fans weeping over the idea that the lockout as put a wet blanket on the Green Bay victory celebration.
  • Seifert makes the case that the Packers  might have a need at wide receiver.  Could be but I would still put it no higher than fourth on the list.
  • Kendrick Ellis appears to be the latest beneficiary of the constant need to nose tackles for the 3-4.  Via Aaron Wilson at The National Football Post.
  • Johnny Jolly we hardly knew ye.
  • Armando Salguero at the Miami Herald writes that Dolphins owner Steven Ross has told Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland that they don’t have to win now and that they have guaranteed job security.  So basically they’re dead men walking.
  • Former NFL safety Matt Bowen at The National Football Postcomes out strongly against HGH testing because it requires drawing blood.  But I’m pretty sure players have to give blood already for AIDS testing.  Fear is almost certainly what is stopping testing for growth hormone.   But I doubt its fear of a needle.
  • Bowen also points out that rookies will be behind due to the lockout for a number of reasons including lack of a playbook.  Though he has a point, most rookies will almost certainly find a veteran to help them out with these issues.
  • The Charlotte Observer got beat writers for the top 5 teams in the draft to do a mock draft.  Its a neat concept that I’d like to see done for the entire first round.
  • Joe Reedy at the Cincinnati Enquirer does a comparison of the top two wide receivers in the draft.  A.J. Green is a possibility for the Bengals but that fourth pick would be awfully high for Julio Jones.
  • I’m way behind on my videos. The Seattle Seahawks are on the clock at ESPN:

  • So are the Saints:

  • and the Eagles:

  • and the Colts:

  • and finally the Chiefs:

“If you polled the entire league, I would guess the opinions are split on (Auburn QB) Cam Newton. Anyone that really knows the kid and did their homework will have him down on their board. We had him at the very top of our board before the Combine. He’s got talent — you have to give it to him. But I wouldn’t think about him until the end of the first (round), and even there, I’m not sure I’d want him. Now it’s a little different when you’re in the hunt for a quarterback. We got a good one. … I just think you’re asking for too much trouble with a guy like him. It’s just like Vince Young — all the warning signs were there. The lower (Newton) goes, the better his chances will be.”

and on a related note:

“What do you think the hit ratio is on one-year wonders in the first round. We did the study over five years. It’s not very good. What’s scary is how many of them there are in this year’s draft. I would not touch either of the two at Auburn that everyone is talking about. I hope they go early so that some good players fall to us.”

I’m on the fence about Nick Fairley but I’ll say out right that Newton in the top ten is a boat load of bust waiting to happen.  Both of these guys seem to me to have potential football character issues.

“Trading down is an option that I am sure they would love. I also here of several other teams that would love to move down, too – Washington for sure. So, you need a partner. That is why we look at 2 particular positions – QB and WR. Here is why you want those guys taken at 1-8 (Gabbart, Newton, Green, and Jones) – so that the good DE/OL/DT prospects get to you at #9. Here is why you DONT want them to be taken at 1-8 – so you have teams calling you to move up and snag them. This is the draft day chess game that the Cowboys have to play and have to play right.”

“(Georgia OLB) Justin Houston is very talented, but he could be the next Vernon Gholston. It’s scary, but he shuts it down way too much. He’s one of the draft’s great magicians. He can disappear with the best of them.”

  • Shocking news from the The Onion which is reporting that NFL is considering hiring replacement owners for the 2011 season.
  • And The Sports Pickle has obtained an official proposal for rules changes from the NFL Kickers Association.  Amongst the suggestions is the elimination of tackling on kickoffs to avoid injuries (i.e. humiliation, embarrassment and emasculation).
  • After paying a 16 year old girl for sex, former New York Giant Lawrence Taylor got sentenced to 6 years probation and to a lifetime of humiliating jokes and laughter from this blogger a total stranger who occasionally breaks in and hijacks my keyboard.  In Lithuania.

One Final Thought

The fifth Season of Mad Men looks like it will be delayed to 2012 as executives from AMC and Lionsgate Studio can’t agree on who gets more of the lucrative amounts of money that the show brings in.  Suddenly I have the urge to show DeMaurice Smith a picture of January Jones, wait about 30 seconds and then kick him in the balloons…

    Mike Singletary is a Parent Who Knows How to Do It and Other Points of View

    Bears

    • Chicago Tribune columnist Dan Pompei conducted a wide ranging interview with Bears president Ted Phillips.  Phillips told him that the team expects to be able to spend money on free agents when the labor stoppage ends.  We’ll see if that’s still the case if game (and substantial revenue) are lost.
    • Phillips also described what I would consider to be a reasonable attitude toward the new rule changes with respect to kickoff returns:

    “There are some aspects to the proposal, including the elimination of the two-man wedge and having all the players except the kicker no more than 5 yards behind the ball, that would be more acceptable than moving the kickoff to the 35.”

    Bottom line, the Bears don’t mind making kickoff returns safer.  But they see no reason to cut down on the number of them.  I’ve got a feeling that the Bears won’t be alone in that attitude.

    Phillips admitted members of the organization “really haven’t talked to him.”

    “Maybe some of the coaches did,” Phillips said. “Now, with the work stoppage, we can’t talk to him. But when the time comes, we’ll sit down with him and see how things are going.”

    With months of offseason ahead with no contact, let’s hope that someone did talk to him.

    Asked if the Bears would consider trading [quarterback Jay] Cutler, Phillips said, “I mean, no one is untradeable. But we couldn’t be happier with Jay as our QB. He’s our guy. Our organization has never wavered in saying, ‘Jay’s our quarterback, and we’re excited to have him.’”

    The last time someone told Cutler that he wasn’t untradeable, he was headed out of town.  Let’s hope he reacts better in his current environment.

    • And Charles Barley is showing up Dez Clark on the golf course:

    Elsewhere

    “I think we’ve got good people that are going to help them [in] their fundamentals and get them from a technique standpoint. But I’ve got to feel good that they’ve got the leadership qualities and can mesh with some of my thoughts on the quarterback position. My one-on-one time with them, and just being around them is as important to me as what they can do from a pro day or workouts.”

    “Good athletes at quarterback don’t always become franchise quarterbacks. For us, we’re looking and hoping to find a franchise quarterback. For us, that’s what we’re looking to find. So my time with him is as important or more important than what we see on tape.”

    Always assuming that Frazier actually means what he says, I would agree with Seifert in that I think these comments might be significant in terms of the Vikings attitude towards Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.  In fact, I’d take it further and say that even in the seemingly unlikely event that Newton were to fall to them, they very well might not take him.

    • Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com makes a good point I hadn’t thought of.  H addresses the problems that coaches like Frazier have when it comes to dealing with players who get themselves in trouble during the lockout.  The Vikings have had two incidences, one involving the arrest of cornerback Chris Cook and the other with running back Adrian Peterson comparing the NFL to “modern-day slavery”:

    “’Adrian is a great kid, as you guys know,’ Frazier told reporters Sunday while arriving at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans for league meetings.  ‘This is a time where not being able to communicate with the players — it’s hard to form an opinion. . . .  So, you kind of reserve judgment on everything that you see right now . . . all the information that you’re getting is through the media.’”

    “Future draft picks, beyond 2011, also can be traded.  But an ominous caveat comes from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

    “Per Mort, the league has advised teams that any trades of draft picks beyond 2011 will occur ‘at [their] own risk.’

    “In other words, there may not be a draft in 2012.”

    “Our Rams sources believe it certainly wouldn’t hurt to at least look into adding veteran WRs Plaxico Burress, who has been in prison the last couple of years, and Randy Moss, who played under new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in New England. ‘But there are obvious issues with both of them,’ said one team insider. ‘Unlike Michael Vick, who was 28 (nearly 29) when he got out of prison, Burress will be 34 years old (in August). Moss is a bit more intriguing, but it really does seem like he’s no longer a difference maker. He didn’t do anything with the Titans.'”

    “Another factor that has made evaluations difficult is the prevalence of spread offenses in college. With the spread, teams typically don’t see as many one-on-one matchups or throwing downfield.

    “Said [Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin] Coyle about the evaluation process: ‘The first thing is, can he stay with the receivers and be physical? Does he have the change of direction and able to stay tight on routes? Can they come out of their breaks and explode? You really have to search as you study the tapes. You might go through a game and see only three or four plays.'”

    • The Baltimore Ravens are on the clock at ESPN:

    “The guys in the locker room call me the cheapest guy around,” Pitts said with a laugh, “but you have to be wise with your money. You can live a great life and still be careful and still be smart.

    “I tell guys, ‘Why do you need that $250,000 car? A Mercedes is a great car, and it’s $85,000. You can afford that on your salary, and what’s that ($250,000) car going to do for you?’ “

    [Insert your comment about the NFL labor stoppage here].

    One Final Thought

    Mike Singletary talks: Bob Sansevere at the St. Paul Pioneer Press listens:

    “I think my kids have seen the eyes. They know the look: ‘OK, Daddy is serious.'”

    I can only imagine.

    Jay Cutler Is a Twinkie and Other Points of View

    Bears

    “Something positive

    “DT Tommie Harris looked creaky at times and was asked to handle only about 15 snaps a game. Given his hefty contract, it’s no surprise that the Bears released him after the season. But Harris can still play. He can still get uncommonly deep penetration with his initial quick step off the ball. As long as he’s not asked to move laterally, he can produce. Any 4-3 team needing a situational interior pass-rusher should take note.”

    • CBS Sports’ Rob Rang has updated his Big Board.  Some names of note for Bear fans:

    16. Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida: Size, strength and the athleticism to block at the next level, Pouncey’s ability to stand out against SEC competition makes him an easy first-round pick.

    20. Tyron Smith, OT, Southern California: In terms of pure talent, Smith is this year’s best tackle — but his experience lies on the right side, his future lies on the left and scouts have questioned his maturity. He’ll impress when he works out at USC’s pro day March 30.

    21. Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin: A road grader with enough size, reach for pass protection, Carimi would be best off moving to right tackle.

    22. Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois: Overshadowed a bit by ex-teammates Mikel Leshoure and Martez Wilson at Illinois, Liuget will wind up the earliest-drafted and best NFL player of the trio.

    23. Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor: Don’t let his marginal tests at the combine or the fact that he’s 26 distract from the fact that Watkins is the toughest, nastiest interior lineman in this class. He might not make the first round, but he’ll one day be viewed as a steal.

    24. Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State: I’m admittedly higher on Sherrod than most, but see him as an ideal swing tackle capable of stepping in immediately and well worth a first-round pick.

    25. Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor: A top-20 talent athletically, but will have to answer questions about his suspension and transfer from Penn State to get drafted there.

    Mikel Leshoure was 35.

    • The Bears are on the clock with the ESPN crew:

    Elsewhere

    “Myth Buster

    “Jared Allen is a dominant pass rusher

    “In 2010 at least, this wasn’t true. Allen was not much of a factor early in the season–– even though he faced frequent one-on-one blocking. He came to life down the stretch … once he faced inferior competition. This isn’t to say Allen is not an elite defensive end. But his struggles last season only give more ammunition to detractors who point out that a majority of his sacks in ’09 came against the feeble Packers and Bears offensive lines.”

    “Myth Buster

    “Jahvid Best is a superstar in the making

    “The ’10 first-round rookie running back has superstar features (speed, lateral agility, terrific acceleration and soft hands). But he had a tendency to abandon his blocking last season, which led to too many potential three-and four-yard gains ending in gains of zero or lost yardage. Experience and playing behind a more consistent offensive line should help.”

    • Williamson also does another entry in his weekly “Pressure Point” series which looks at a player who must improve in 2011.  This week its Marshawn Lynch and Williamson doesn’t pull any punches:

    “Lynch is more effective as an every-down runner and, at his best, he can wear down a defense. But he just doesn’t do a good enough job of creating on his own when the blocking is sub-par. He becomes a lateral runner instead of a bulldozer. He too often gets what is blocked and nothing more.”

    “With all the team needs Seattle has, I would not use a lot of resources on the running back position right now…  But if Lynch doesn’t step up his game in 2011, I would look for a back one year from now.”

    • According to the New York Post, Jenn Sterger is suing her former manager to get back materials related to the Brett Favre sexting scandal.  He may intend to use those items in a tell-all book.  I had a feeling that Sterger would have dropped this without a fuss if it weren’t for bad advice she was getting from the start of it.  I’d say this supports the idea.
    • NBC 2 Fort Myers in Florida reports that Oakland Raiders offensive tackle Mario Henderson was arrested on a weapons charge Thursday morning (via BenMaller.com).  At 6’7″, 300 lb Henderson is so large that he couldn’t fit into the back of the police car.  He was offered the option of lying down in the back or walking four blocks to the station.  He decided to lie down.
    • Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to start staying awake in that tanning bed.  Via Deadspin:

    Sun burn

    One Final Thought

    Jay Cutler‘s true, soft nature revealed:

    However, lets not make the mistake of believing this means he’s not tough.

    Replay Still Needs Reform and Other Points of View

    Bears

    “Most NFL teams would not want a fourth-year pro as their No. 3 quarterback. It’s a situation where if the team didn’t believe in him as a No. 2 after that much time, it’s never going to be comfortable with the player in that role.”

    “The most logical scenario would be to make him the No. 2 or allow him to compete with another veteran. If he doesn’t win the job, it would be time to move on.”

    • Biggs also reports that the Bears are looking at running backs, another low priority.  Cal’s Shane Vereen is on the radar.
    • With only two linebackers on the roster, the Bears would appear to be thinking about that position as well.  The Bears are reportedly working out Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue.
    • Amongst the players at the higher priority categories, Biggs says that the Bears are hosting Boise State wide receiver Austin Pettis for a workout and offensive line coach Mike Tice was at Florida’s pro day to watch what seems like their entire offensive line workout.  That would include guard/center Mike Pouncey who I’m sure the Bears would love to take in the first round but who is unlikely to be there for them.  Tice and Martz were also taking a good look at likely first round offensive tackle Gabe Carimi at Wisconsin’s pro day (via Vaughn McClure at the Tribune).  Biggs reports that the Bears are also bringing in Northwest Missouri State corner Ryan Jones for a workout.
    • And finally, Dan Pompei at the Tribune had an article focused on the Illinois pro day where three highly regarded draft picks attract almost every team in the NFL.  These are defensive tackle Corey Liuget, linebacker Martez Wilson and running back Mikel Leshoure.  The Bears would be most interested in Liuget but Biggs reports that Tim Spencer, the Bears running backs coach, had “a long chat” with Leshoure.
    • ESPN‘s Todd McShay released another mock draft.  This one is two rounds.  He has the Bears taking Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod in the first round and North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin in the second.  This would be a reach for Sherrod with guards Danny Watkins from Baylor and Orlando Franklin from Miami still on the board.  McShay has Watkins going in the second round to the Lions and Franklin going to the Steelers at 31.

    Elsewhere

    • Kevin Seifert, ESPN‘s NFC North blogger, tries to get a handle on the Vikings draft.  He says the first thing the Vikings have to do is decide if they want to target a quarterback and if Jake Locker is their guy.  If so, look for them to trade down into the twenties.  They could try to trade up for Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert but it would likely be a long, costly climb.  The knock on Locker is his accuracy.  He never managed a completion percentage better than 58.2 percent in his career.  Statistically, quarterbacks with a completion percentage of less than 60 percent in college don’t do well.
    • McShay has the Vikings picking Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo in the first and Dalton in the second.  That would certainly work.  He also is giving Lions fans wet dreams by projecting Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara to still be there for them in the first with Watkins in the second.
    • Tom Sorenson at the Charlotte Observer says that there are lots of indications that the Carolina Panthers are planning to take Newton as the first overall pick.
    • The New York Jets are on the clock:

    • Chad Ochocinco will be trying out to play professional soccer during the lockout according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Whatever.
    • The NFL isn’t the only one on the other end of a lawsuit from Tom Brady.  Poor baby’s had a rough week.

    One Final Thought

    Farmer also reports that the competition committee will be recommending changes to instant replay.  they took some steps in the right direction but they didn’t make the change we all know should be made.  Challenges should be completely eliminated and the decision to review should be made in the booth.  The NFL is the only league where the burden of making sure the calls are right falls upon the head coaches. The whole system is ridiculous.

    Angry Birds NFL Style and Other Points of View

    Bears

    • Neil Hayes at the Chicago Sun-Times tracks 25 mock drafts to see who they have the Bears picking.  It seems clear that a lineman of some type would be the ideal.  He quotes ESPN‘s Mel Kiper on why the Bears should take an offensive tackle instead of a defensive tackle in the first round:

    “You can get defensive players in the second round area at the defensive tackle spot that can be a factor for you.  At offensive tackle, not so much. … It’s just slim pickings. You have a better chance to getting a defensive tackle than an offensive tackle at that point.”

    • Vaughn McClure at the Chicago Tribune documents the (somewhat belated) response of wide receiver Johnny Knox to criticism that former NFL runningback Marshall Faulk leveled at him last month:

    “‘I do understand what he was trying to say: There are things I can do a better job of in terms of protecting myself and Jay,’ Knox said. ‘I honestly see what he was talking about.'”

    Elsewhere

    • ESPN‘s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert goes over how a work stoppage will affect teams in the NFC North in terms of football-related issues.  He thinks it will be disastrous for the Vikings.  They will have no offseason with a new offense, a new quarterback and no NFL monetary commitment towards a new stadium.  This entry is a good read.
    • Darin Gantt at the Charlotte Observer thinks the labor stoppage could actually help Panthers quarterback Matt Moore.  Moore is the most experienced quarterback on the roster and a long lockout could prevent them from upgrading in free agency.  Any drafted quarterback might not be NFL ready.
    • Charlie Sheen responds to the NFL labor stoppage.
    • Seifert wonders if fans will be renewing their season tickets.  Renewing on time basically contributes towards the owner’s lockout fund.
    • Gary Myers at The New York Daily News points out that if franchise tags are not determined to be valid in court, Peyton Manning is set up to become one of the most lucrative free agents in history.
    • Prominent sports agent Gary Wichard died Friday morning.
    • Former Cincinnati Bengals star Cris Collinsworth and 82 others were rescued from a seafood barge eatery on that broke free from gangplanks and floated down a flooded Ohio River.
    • Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather provides further evidence for the adage that nothing good happens when you are out at two o’clock in the morning.
    • On a related note, rumor has it that former Bear and current Patriots safety Brandon McGowan will be a free agent.  Via Pro Football Weekly.
    • Former NFL safety Matt Bowen breaks down the four verticals versus the cover two.  He uses the Bears defense of the Patriots at the end of the first half of their game last season as an example of how not to defend it.  As you can see from the diagram, right corner Charles Tillman fails to re-route the receiver inside at the line of scrimmage.  Free safety Major Wright also bites on an inside pump fake.

    • Bob Sturm at the Dallas Morning News is breaking down big Cowboys special teams plays.  In this entry he also highlights the almost impossible job that special teams coaches all over the league have.  Really good stuff.
    • Omar Kelley at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel explains why the Dolphins are “overpaying” Paul Soliai.  If the 3-4 has done one thing it has made nose tackle the hardest position to find outside of quarterback.  That will show during the draft as teams scramble to find them.
    • Former Colorado tackle Nate Solder had his pro day last week.  Matt Russell, who is Denver’s director of pro scouting and who played for the Buffaloes before being drafted by Detroit in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL draft took on Solder.  The results weren’t pretty:

    One Final Thought

    The Sports Pickle has designed an NFL version of Angry Birds.  Here’s a screen shot:

      Mike McCarthy Is Not the Genius I Thought He Was and Other Points of View

      Bears

      “The Bears did it by changing Peppers’ $10.5 million roster bonus into a signing bonus so they could prorate that $10.5 million over the life of the contract, which runs through 2015. The restructuring should give the team options once free agency finally begins, while allowing the team to re-sign some of its own free agents.”

      Obviously the Bears wanted this initially in the form of a roster bonus so they wouldn’t have to pay it if Peppers had less impact than expected last season.  Now that they know that’s not the case, they can pay it and simultaneously spread the cap hit out.

      In fairness to Mullin, you could argue that Martz single handedly destroyed the Rams with his personnel moves.

      Elsewhere

      • ESPN‘s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert points out that with the resigning of A.J. Hawk,  the Packers have a glut at linebacker.  This gave them leverage but now that the negotiation is over, something is likely to have to give.  It sounds like Nick Barnett might be the odd man out.
      • Judd Zulgad at the Minneapolis Star Tribune says that the Vikings have failed to offer a tender to Tarvaris Jackson, making him a free agent.  Wise move.  No one knows what the Vikings answer at quarterback is going to be but I think its safe to say Jackson, who was wildly inconsistent, wasn’t it.
      • Philip Zaroo at mlive.com gets points to originality but little else as he argues that a lockout would be a good thing.
      • For those of you who still care to read anything other than “We’ve come to a settlement”, here’s Michael Silver‘s rather optimistic report at Yahoo Sports which details the goings on yesterday behind the scenes.

      One Final Thought

      OK, maybe there’s hope for Bears fans after all:

      Tim Ruskell and the Lure of the “Undersized, Try-Hard Players” and Other Points of View

      I will be on vacation until Feb. 28, meaning I’ll once again be out of the country for a major NFL offseason event.  At least its only the Combine and not the Draft like last year.  In any case posts will be sporadic (if not non-existent) during this time.

      Bears

      The extension of Tice in particular is significant because if he’d been truly unhappy with the Bears for blocking him from interviewing for the Titan’s then vacant offensive coordinator position, he probably wouldn’t have signed a new contract.

      I’m wondering if the lockout language was the standard or if it is significantly different in these extensions.  Its been reported that the other Bears coaches will take a 25% cut in salary during a lockout  with a team option to dismiss after a 60-day notice.

      • Steve Rosenbloom at the Chicago Tribune has a wild theory on why the Bears refused to allow the titans to talk to Tice:

      “If Mike Martz still thinks the Bears can run his offense with a 4-1 pass-run ratio and in fact he insists on calling it that way, then the Bears might all of a sudden need Tice as their own offensive coordinator after, say, Game 3, if not before.”

      “Ruskell, now the Chicago Bears’ Director of Player Personnel, tends to prefer seniors with 40-plus starts from major colleges. He also looks for undersized, try-hard players, as he believes they are bargains in the skill set vs. draft pick equation. Problem was, Ruskell had almost no feel for the concept of athletic upside, and he whiffed a lot, both in the draft and in free agency, when he tried to pinpoint those athletes who would develop into stars based on pure physical potential.”

      “Take enough of those low-ceiling ‘tweeners and put them in the wrong places, and that’s how you’ll go from Team President to watching college tape for a living.”

      The fairness of this evaluation aside, if Farrrar thinks Ruskell will be taking undersized tweeners with Mike Tice anywhere near the draft room, I think he’s got another thing coming.  Tice is probably going to be looking for the biggest guys he can find.  Thanks to Chris at the Chicago Bears Fan Forum for pointing me to this article.

      • Former Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner on the The Waddle & Silvy Show on ESPN 1000 (via Jeff Dickerson at ESPNChicago.com) talks about the value of having a clear number one receiver, something the Bears don’t have.  Turner oversaw Reggie Wayne as the Colts wide receivers coach this season.

      “I don’t think [you can win at a high level without a receiver like Wayne].  It would be really, really difficult. You have to have that guy you know you can go to, a guy that’s going to be there every game for you, making big plays. You have to have that. If you have that, it takes so much pressure off the other guys and enables you to run the ball.

      “If you have a guy like that, it alters your defensive gameplan a little bit.”

      “Ben Ijalana, OT, Villanova

      “While the questions after a playoff loss centered around the toughness of the quarterback, many Bears fans forgot that Jay Cutler was hit as much or more than any other QB in the league all season. Even on many of his good plays, he was dodging rushers. The Bears did some decent work on their line in last year’s draft with a late steal but should attack it early in 2011. Ijalana offers versatilty and the ability to step in early. Solid fit.”

      Ijalana would be the fifth offensive tackle off the board.  Guard/Center Mike Pouncey would already be gone but its worth noting that guard Danny Watkins would still be there according to this scenario.

      • Captain Morgan is stealing votes from Rahm Emanuel now:


      Elsewhere

      “Vick, who was named The Associated Press 2010 Comeback Player of the Year in the NFL, was confronted by radio host/standup comic Richard Hunter at an event in Dallas before Super Bowl XLV.

      “Hunter says he adopted one of Vick’s former dogs. He told Game On! Wednesday that and other families who adopted Vick’s dogs have been “flooding” the producers of Winfrey’s show with calls and emails asking the “voices of the victims’ families” be heard on the episode.”

      “One thing we never were able to see in 2010 was a fully operational Cowboys offense. By the time Dez Bryant was able to participate in the offense, Tony Romo was lost for the season. In 2011, with Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Tony Romo all available for 16 games (health pending) the results have a real chance to be something special. Austin demands a double-team, but with Bryant on the other side, there are some real classic conflicts that defenses will have to face.”

      • I’m not surprised that former Ohio State quarterback and compulsive gambler Art Schlichter is in trouble again.  But this story from Mike Wagner at the Columbus Dispatch shocks even me.  What a nightmare.
      • Hmmmm…   I’m a big fan of ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser.  I’d like to think that there’s more to this than meets the eye.  From John Feinstein:

      “Tony Kornheiser has specifically asked me not to bring up Dan Snyder on his show. I feel queasy about this but Tony’s my friend and it is his show. It isn’t as if there aren’t plenty of other forums for me to talk about Snyder and Snyder is one of those guys Tony simply isn’t going to go after—not because he’s paid by him but because he likes him.”

      Kornheiser has a responsibility to report the news no matter how he feels about the people involved but he’s under no obligation to discuss other people’s opinions beyond that.  But having said that, it would be much more like Kornheiser to let Feinstein say his piece and then defend Snyder.

      • Kiper and Todd McShay, also at ESPN, talk about the draft’s wide receiver class.  I love the fact that Kiper digs into the Division III ranks to find some kid fro Mount Union:

      Here’s a video of the play in action:

      One Final Thought

      Joe Reedy at the Cincinnati Enquirer quotes new Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden on why he likes to spend the game calling plays from the sideline rather than from in the booth:

      “I like to be down there when things aren’t going where they should.  It’s important for me to calm everyone down or stick my foot up where it should be. A big part of the job is controlling the emotions. Everyone can call plays but a lot of coaching has to go with controlling guys and make sure guys aren’t too up or down.”

      Would an Assistant Coaches Union Have Helped Tice? And Other Points of View

      Bears

      • Vaughn McClure at the Chicago Tribune reports that top receiver prospect A.J. Green was in town.  Unfortunately it was for an NFL Films feature and not to visit the Bears.  They could only wish they had a pick high enough to justify such a visit.
      • Michael C. Wright at ESPNChicago.com asks a sharp question.  Would a union have helped offensive line coach Mike Tice to be allowed to interview in Tennessee for their offensive coordinator position?  The Titans were denied permission to contact Tice by the Bears.  The NFL assistant coaches are meeting at the NFL Scouting Combine to consider unionizing.

      I think the answer here is likely “No.  Tice was under contract and had the Titans been allowed to contact him, it would have been because head coach Lovie Smith simply thought it was the right thing to do.  But in the business landscape, a contract is a contract whether you are part of a union or not.  Indeed, once you get union representation, you take the “human” factor out of the equation and everything becomes all business.  The position on these issues like this is likely to harden and no one will ever get permission.

      But get this.  Minnesota Vikings coaches get ninety days of full pay after a lockout begins, followed by a 75 percent salary reduction for 90 days and then dismissal.  September is 6 months from March, folks.

      That means that the Bears can (and I think likely will) keep keep their most valuable coaches employed during what would have been the season, probably because they wouldn’t want to lose them.  But the Vikings apparently aren’t going to do that.  If other teams have handled it in a similar fashion, there could be a free-for-all tussle amongst teams to sign assistants once a lockout ends.

      Elsewhere

      • The Vikings may have a savior that will get them a stadium to keep them in Minnesota.  Let’s hope.
      • Jeremy Fowler at the Pioneer Press reports that Vikings players are planning to workout together in the hopes of learning their new offense despite being locked out of the facilities at Winter Park.
      • Tom Kowalski at milve.com says that once the NFL filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against the players, pretty much all hope for a clean, quick resolution to the labor problem was lost.  He says that the StarCaps case proved that once you put it all into the hands of the lawyers, nothing quick or clean will come of anything:

      “Three years and tens of millions in legal fees for a few celebrity diet pills. What do you think the price is for the fate of 2,500 football players and the long-term fate of the NFL?”

      I would say that Kowalski’s got a point but that the complaint wasn’t when it started.  It started when lawyer DeMaurice Smith was elected NFLPA president.  The players have been angling to get the NFL into court ever since.

      • NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has written an op-ed column on the CBA talks which has appeared in various newspapers around the country.  Adam Schefter reacts in a way which I agree with.  I wouldn’t pay much attention to the rest.  The owners aren’t going to open up their books, nor should they:

      • Carolina owner Jerry Richardson has been accused of being “condescending” in meetings with players.  I’ve read some of the comments and it sounds to me like “direct” might have been a better term.  Richardson is a former NFL halfback and I think that the players at the bargaining table shouldn’t heave been surprised at some blunt comments from him.  He’s basically not just an owner.  He’s a peer.  Cowboys owner Jerry Jones apparently agrees (via Darin Gantt and Joe Person at the Charlotte Observer):

      “Jerry’s greatest strength is communication  The more that is at stake, the more direct and clear he is with his words. When he speaks with people he cares about deeply – players, business partners, his fellow owners – he is always particularly straightforward and to the point. That is how he shows his respect for the situation and the individuals involved.

      “He is one of the most effective leaders I have ever known because he is one of the best communicators I have ever been associated with.”

      • Mel Kiper and Todd McShay break down the running backs in the NFL Draft:

      One Final Thought

      Bob Sturm at the Dallas Morning News on receiver Roy Williams and the danger of high expectations:

        “You always wonder how you would feel about a player if he was not tied to his contract. Expectation levels shot up for Tony Romo and Miles Austin when they went from being one of the cheapest contributors in the league to one of the most expensive on the roster. Perhaps one of the worst moves Jerry Jones has ever made was his decision to not only trade premium draft picks to the Lions, but then to sign Roy Williams to a 6-year, $54 million deal before he ever stepped on the field for the Cowboys.