NFL 2014

[Kingspoint]

Glad to see Starks resigned. He's big, fast, and likes to punish folks. Unfortunatly he's made out of glass, but that makes him a good #2. With DuJuan Harris and Franklin, Packers are really deep at the running back position.

Hate to see James Jones go to Oakland. A good guy and a big part of the Super Bowl champs. TT will have to draft a decent wide receiver. Rodgers obviously feels Boykins is capable of stepping up.

Boykins was more consistent than Jones last year and is more than ready to not only take over for him, but to do a much better job than Jones ever did. TE was a deadzone last year for the Packers, so anything they get from Quarles will be an upgrade. It will be interesting to see how Rodgers uses Boykins on a full-time basis. The overall health of the Packers Wide-Receivers will be a huge upgrade for the Offense. The first time under Rodgers helm that he'll have a full RB team and a full WR team to work with. He still needs a Center and some improved O-line play, though, but he's worked without one before.

[dabvu2498]

TT will have to draft a decent wide receiver.

Read a pretty good analysis calling for them to draft Jordan Matthews in the 2nd round. They could do much worse.

http://rotoviz.com/index.php/2014/02...s-comparables/

[Kingspoint]

Mutaman, Ben Stockwell of ProFootballFocus does a really complete, in-depth analysis of the potential impact of Peppers on the Packers' Defense for 2014.

Here's a sample from the article that speaks a bit more about the negative, but the third paragraph in the article speaks more about the positive...

Peppers is still a balanced pass rusher, with the ability to beat tackles inside and out, but he has seen a steady decline in overall production. He did a solid job this season of supplementing his production with “free pressure”. Four of his six sacks from the DRE spot (his 7th came from DRT) were either unblocked, in clean up or pursuing to the quarterback outside the pocket. This helped to hide an unproductive area of his game which was beating blockers to the outside off the edge. Here he yielded only eight total pressures (2 Sk, 0 Ht, 6 Hu) a year after netting 19 (6 Sk, 1 Ht, 12 Hu) and 22 (3 Sk, 1 Ht, 18 Hu) in 2011. The threat to the outside is what edge rushers need and what the vast majority use to set up the rest of their pass rushing repertoire. No matter the defensive end it will be extremely rare that you are just going to bull rush an NFL caliber tackle back or beat them inside if they are not concerned about you beating them to the outside. There needs to be some threat that keeps them off balance to open up the shorter routes to the quarterback. This is probably the biggest potential impediment to Peppers being a threat on the edge for the Packers in 2014 and the biggest clue to how Dom Capers may choose to deploy him.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...ing-the-slide/

[Kingspoint]

From Rotoworld w/ Rotoworld comments:

Michigan OT Taylor Lewan has been charged with three misdemeanors for his alleged role in a December assault.

Lewan is accused of mixing it up with some Ohio State Buckeyes fans. It's not a good look for one of the draft's top tackles, but the charges aren't serious enough to derail Lewan's stock. He's still all but guaranteed to come off the board on Day 1.

Source: MLive.com

[Kingspoint]

From Rotoworld w/ Rotoworld comments:

Ray Rice has been indicted on one count of aggravated assault for his alleged assault of his fiancée in February.

It's an upgrade on Rice's original simple-assault charge, and carries a potential 3-5 years in prison. The simple-assault charge against Rice's fiancée has been dropped. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti "aggressively stood by" Rice on Monday, but the case doesn't appear likely to go quietly. In addition to whatever the court decides, either via a plea deal or trial, Rice is facing a suspension.

Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter

[Chip R]

NFL to penalize goalpost dunking.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10...nk-next-season

[Yachtzee]

NFL to penalize goalpost dunking.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10...nk-next-season

While I'm generally not a fan of the NFL legislating celebrations out of the game, I have no problem with this, just because the celebratory act has a chance of knocking the goalposts out of skew and delaying the game.

[Mutaman]

Mutaman, Ben Stockwell of ProFootballFocus does a really complete, in-depth analysis of the potential impact of Peppers on the Packers' Defense for 2014.

Thanks I will read it.

[Mutaman]

Read a pretty good analysis calling for them to draft Jordan Matthews in the 2nd round. They could do much worse.

http://rotoviz.com/index.php/2014/02...s-comparables/

Good article. If he has half the heart and intelligence of Gregg Jennings he will be a good one.

Also, Matthews' coach once coached a fellow named Jordy Nelson in college and advised Thompson to draft him. And, from 2011-2012, Matthews caught passes from a QB by the name of Jordon Rodgers, brother of a guy named Aaron Rodgers. The plot thickens.

[Kingspoint]

Eagles Released DeSean Jackson

From Rotoworld w/ Rotoworld comments:

The Newark Star-Ledger reports DeSean Jackson's off-field behavior, particularly his connection to a Los Angeles street gang, is the Eagles' chief concern and main reason they're entertaining trading or releasing him.

Jackson has a problem with missing team meetings, and the Eagles reportedly believe his friends are becoming a powerful, negative influence. The team is "concerned about having [Jackson] around the younger players." Jackson has become close with a man named Theron Shakir, a member of the Crips and one of two men charged in the murder of a 14-year-old rival gang member. The Eagles simply don't want to wake up to an Aaron Hernandez situation one morning. Jackson has very likely played his last down for the Eagles.

Source: Newark Star-Ledger http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2..._troubles.html


Rarely do we see a 27-year-old playmaker in his prime like Jackson handed his walking papers, but the Eagles grew very concerned about Jackson's pattern of behavior away from the football field. He's reportedly been hanging out with Los Angeles gang members. And Jackson's trade value went down the hole with that story. The off-field red flags outweighed Jackson's career-best 2013 season. Look for the Raiders and Jets to possibly show interest in Jackson, but teams are going to tip-toe around him. The Eagles save $6.5 million versus the cap.


Profootballtalk.com reports the 49ers, Seahawks, and Jets were "definitely" interested in DeSean Jackson before his release.

PFT suggests the Patriots and Raiders "also could be thrown into the mix," though we're skeptical of the former after the Aaron Hernandez situation in New England. Although neither Seattle, San Francisco, nor Gang Green was able to work out a pre-release trade with Philadelphia, this report may provide a hint as to Jackson's landing spot. We expect him to be signed quickly.

Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports


Kudos to Chip Kelly for not putting up with crap like that from players like Evan Mathis and DeSean Jackson, who aren't team-oriented.

[Kingspoint]

Zimmer's awesome enough to turn me from a Bengals' fan to a Vikings' fan.

From Rotoworld w/ Rotoworld comments:

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer emerged from Johnny Manziel's Pro Day unimpressed, calling the choreographed workout with rap music, "a sideshow."

We love Zimmer because he's never afraid to voice his opinions. (It's also why he struggled to land head-coaching jobs for so long.) "The huddles and the different things and the music. The sideshow stuff," Zimmer said. "It was a sideshow. This one was a little different in how it was choreographed. People like that or they don’t like that, I don’t know." We probably won't be sending Manziel to the Vikings in our April mock drafts.

Source: Houston Chronicle


I still like Mario-Rijo's idea of Bridgewater to the Vikings.

[improbus]

I'm not an NFL guy, but in stuck at a mechanics office with an NFL show on. They played some insane interview with Jon Gruden interviewing a quarterback. It was the most egotistical, condescending, and needless thing I've ever seen. Gruden was talking to some guy whose brother was a QB. He then told this kid that his team couldn't trade for his brother because they spent all their draft picks on getting Gruden himself. It might be the craziest thing I've ever heard someone say.

[Kingspoint]

From Rotoworld w/ Rotoworld comments:

Steelers agreed to terms with RB LeGarrette Blount on a two-year contract.

Blount, 27, rushed 153 times for 772 yards (5.0 YPC) and seven touchdowns in New England last season, operating as the Patriots' lead back down the stretch. In Pittsburgh, Blount will serve as a battering-ram change-of-pace back behind Le'Veon Bell, but won't threaten Bell's workhorse status or firm place atop the depth chart. Blount will be no more than a 2014 fantasy handcuff. He doesn't play in the passing game and has a history of fumbling.

Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter


I'd much rather have Blount than BJGE.

[Sea Ray]

From Rotoworld w/ Rotoworld comments:

Steelers agreed to terms with RB LeGarrette Blount on a two-year contract.

Blount, 27, rushed 153 times for 772 yards (5.0 YPC) and seven touchdowns in New England last season, operating as the Patriots' lead back down the stretch. In Pittsburgh, Blount will serve as a battering-ram change-of-pace back behind Le'Veon Bell, but won't threaten Bell's workhorse status or firm place atop the depth chart. Blount will be no more than a 2014 fantasy handcuff. He doesn't play in the passing game and has a history of fumbling.

Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter


I'd much rather have Blount than BJGE.

We don't need a guy who fumbled to be our workhorse back. I would think we could find BJGE's replacement on Mother's Day Weekend

[Kingspoint]

We don't need a guy who fumbled to be our workhorse back. I would think we could find BJGE's replacement on Mother's Day Weekend

Definitely don't want guys who turn the ball over and/or commit dumb mistakes that end drives, such as dropping passes and dumb penalties. (See Gresham...3 fumbles lost plus the numerous dropped passes and dumb penalties)

FWIW, Blount has fumbled three times the last two years. BJGE has fumbled five times. There's little difference between the two in the fumble department, but significant difference in the ypc and the hurt they put on the opposing players. Blount is an odd fit w ithe the Steelers. Blount is not a cut-back runner with the Steelers changing to cut-back blocking.