NFL News, Rumors and Musings

[Leonardfan]

I figured I would start up a thread for NFL news, Rumors and our random thoughts. It's easier to post here rather than post in the weekly threads.

 

[Leonardfan]

Jay Cutler looks to be out for the season. I think his time is over in Chicago. He still has 4-5 good years left in the tank and one of the strongest arms in the league. Chicago has been a disaster since Fox took over. Cutler will be an interesting FA QB to watch.

Ryan Fitzpatrick will start again for the Jets. Bowles is afraid of losing the team but it is already a lost cause. I have seen reports of quite a bit of offseason purging of some of the Jets high profile guys. Fitzpatrick blew his shot this year by sitting out for all of the preseason while demanding more money. I wish they would throw Petty in there.

Another more positive development is that Krapernick, Smiff and Griffin may very well be on their way out of the league after this season. Krapernick is toxic (and his skills have eroded considerably) and I would say most franchises want to stay away from him. The Gremlin has proved to be nothing but a one year wonder who is oft-injured - the Browns made a mistake in trusting him to be their starting QB. Smiff is a bum and I seriously doubt he will get any real shot at a starting job.

 

[Heretic]

Jay Cutler looks to be out for the season. I think his time is over in Chicago. He still has 4-5 good years left in the tank and one of the strongest arms in the league. Chicago has been a disaster since Fox took over. Cutler will be an interesting FA QB to watch.

Ryan Fitzpatrick will start again for the Jets. Bowles is afraid of losing the team but it is already a lost cause. I have seen reports of quite a bit of offseason purging of some of the Jets high profile guys. Fitzpatrick blew his shot this year by sitting out for all of the preseason while demanding more money. I wish they would throw Petty in there.

Another more positive development is that Krapernick, Smiff and Griffin may very well be on their way out of the league after this season. Krapernick is toxic (and his skills have eroded considerably) and I would say most franchises want to stay away from him. The Gremlin has proved to be nothing but a one year wonder who is oft-injured - the Browns made a mistake in trusting him to be their starting QB. Smiff is a bum and I seriously doubt he will get any real shot at a starting job.

I agree, I think Petty would excel...wish he was given the opportunity. As far as those three black quarterbacks you mention, unfortunately they'll probably be replaced by three other black quarterbacks from the 2017 NFL draft.

 

[celticdb15]

Experts aka caste pundits are already writing off Petty as a Jet. They should stick with him and draft Taylor or Switzer in the slot and unleash it with a healthy Decker.

 

[Heretic]

Experts aka caste pundits are already writing off Petty as a Jet. They should stick with him and draft Taylor or Switzer in the slot and unleash it with a healthy Decker.

Just like the Jets did with Greg McElroy who was never given a chance. I was pretty high on him and think he showed a lot of promise and moxie (which is borderline "illegal" for a White player to display) but I think he offended Rex one time or something and that was it for him.

 

[Leonardfan]

I agree, I think Petty would excel...wish he was given the opportunity. As far as those three black quarterbacks you mention, unfortunately they'll probably be replaced by three other black quarterbacks from the 2017 NFL draft.

Maybe although alot of the shine on a couple of turds in Kaaya and Kizer has worn off. Neither is a long term NFL starter.

 

[Don Wassall]

We'll get to find out this week whether Rex Burkhead will finally get some use as a running back. Considering how frequently RBs get hurt in the NFL it's been frustrating how healthy the two in front of him have been until Bernard's knee injury. Rex is a free agent after this season; of course his range of prospective teams to sign with is limited to New England and. . . er New England. Notice how Weenieworld doesn't even mention Ericson among the receivers who will pick up the slack for A. J. Green, and Burkhead "isn't worth a look in anything but the deepest leagues."

Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson said the team has "enormous confidence" in Rex Burkhead's ability pick up the slack following Gio Bernard's season-ending knee injury. With Gio out for the year and A.J. Green out for at least a couple weeks, the Bengals will need to replace 42 percent of their targets. Tyler Eifert, Brandon LaFell, and Tyler Boyd should take on most of that work, but Burkhead should see a handful of targets as well as a change-of-pace option for Jeremy Hill. Still, he is not worth a look in anything but the deepest leagues.

 

[Leonardfan]

Vinnie Sunseri promoted to 49ers active roster.

Griff Whalen was cut for Ronnie Hillman who is now on his third team of the year. Meanwhile Wegher and Gerhart get no chance.

 

[Tannehill17]

Jay Cutler looks to be out for the season. I think his time is over in Chicago. He still has 4-5 good years left in the tank and one of the strongest arms in the league. Chicago has been a disaster since Fox took over. Cutler will be an interesting FA QB to watch.

A team like the Jets would be smart to pick up Cutler if say... Trubisky is off the board by the time the Jets pick in the draft. Of course, as a Dolphins fan there is nothing I would like more than to see them draft a bum like Kizer to continue the comedy of errors repuation that is the entire Jets franchise.

 

[Leonardfan]

A team like the Jets would be smart to pick up Cutler if say... Trubisky is off the board by the time the Jets pick in the draft. Of course, as a Dolphins fan there is nothing I would like more than to see them draft a bum like Kizer to continue the comedy of errors repuation that is the entire Jets franchise.

I think Cutler would be a good stop gap QB to buy them some time with Hackenberg who I would assume they plan to do development with prior to giving him a shot. The Jets have so many miscreants on that team they need to jettison so I don't think they will draft a QB in the first round next year. I bet Wilkerson and Muhammad won't be on the team next year, Fitzpatrick will be gone and Revis as well.

Supposedly the Browns love Trubisky (who has yet to declare):

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/b...eels-qb-mitch-trubisky-in-the-2017-nfl-draft/


I am still interested to see how the situations with Glennon, Landry Jones, Garrapolo and Semien play out. Glennon is a FA and is worth a look as a QB to build around, Jones played pretty well in relief of Ben the past two seasons, Garrapolo could be traded away (Brady is 39 but has been a machine this year and has not shown any signs of a physical breakdown like Manning did) and depending on how comfortable the Broncos feel with Lynch they will probably be able to flip Semien to a QB needy team.

 

[Extra Point]

I think Cutler would be a good stop gap QB to buy them some time with Hackenberg who I would assume they plan to do development with prior to giving him a shot. The Jets have so many miscreants on that team they need to jettison so I don't think they will draft a QB in the first round next year. I bet Wilkerson and Muhammad won't be on the team next year, Fitzpatrick will be gone and Revis as well.

Supposedly the Browns love Trubisky (who has yet to declare):

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/b...eels-qb-mitch-trubisky-in-the-2017-nfl-draft/


I am still interested to see how the situations with Glennon, Landry Jones, Garrapolo and Semien play out. Glennon is a FA and is worth a look as a QB to build around, Jones played pretty well in relief of Ben the past two seasons, Garrapolo could be traded away (Brady is 39 but has been a machine this year and has not shown any signs of a physical breakdown like Manning did) and depending on how comfortable the Broncos feel with Lynch they will probably be able to flip Semien to a QB needy team.

The Bears should keep Cutler. Who will they get that's better? Cutler has never played with anything but a bad offensive line in Chicago. How good could he be with even an average offensive line?

Glennon should be a hot item in free agency. He looks like he might be a franchise quarterback, no matter what the media says. If I needed a quarterback I'd go after Glennon hard.

I think the Broncos should give Siemian another year. He hasn't done badly for a first year starter. He may be their answer at QB. If he is they can trade Lynch.

 

[Leonardfan]

the Cutler - Chicago marriage is up. The fans don't want him nor does the organization it seems. I was always lukewarm toward Cutler due to his perceived aloofness but when I found out he is a trump supporter it gave me much more respect for him. The amazing thing about Cutler is that he is still in the league while the much more celebrated Vince Young and Matt Leinart have been out of the league for several years now. It seems the bears want to move on. They have put together a really bad overall roster - the defense is laughable.

I think Lynch will be given the job once he is ready - their investment in him is much more than what they have put into Semian. Lynch played pretty well in the preseason and vs. Tampa bay.

 

[Romosexual]

lol at this picture

 

[celticdb15]

Cutler is TOAST! A couple of QBs Bears would be smart to give a look:
Nick Foles, Mike Glennon,Jimmy G, Paxton Lynch or Siemian, Scott Tolzien, Hackenberg/Petty.Plenty of young QBs out there with potential looking for a starting gig. Not to mention they could opt for a QB in the draft. I'd say they'd be wise to move back in draft, no QB is worth getting picked Top 10 In my humble opinion. So perhaps Tony Romo?

 

[Romosexual]

Look out for hype train on Clowney, this is one of the stories the media are building on all year.

He is playing just about average, played 80% of all Texans Defensive snaps for a return of 3 sacks, 30 odd tackles,11 qb "hits".
Fine numbers, for a rotational DE, low or undrafted player, not a first round ONCE IN A LIFETIME player.

Yet the media are crowing "he's living up to the hype", "productive and destructive", "more than just a pass rusher", "the sky's the limit for him". I remember they pulled the same with that guy the Bills drafted, maybin. Same lack of production, same media hype, "turning a corner".

 

[Leonardfan]

Braverman promoted to bears active roster

 

[Shadowlight]

Braverman, lets keep an eye on him. The other draft pick Boehringer is still stuck on a practice squad. Big guy with real speed, will he ever make it? The wide receiver story this year is basically dancing around the edges. Our hero (mine) Jordy is coming back from a bad injury and last night for the first time looked like he was getting his legs back. He still has not flashed the vintage deep stuff just yet but all in all he is performing pretty well. I hope the Pack can wake up from this slumber. We get glimpses of guys like Jordan Taylor ( 2 key TD catches the past two weeks)--as an aside what a stupid call by Kubiak to try and kick a long field goal in overtime and give the Chiefs great field position whaaa?--and little known guys like Theilen and Humphries are plugging along but not doing anything that can make you jump up and down although Theilen shows flashes of speed at times. Edelman's stats should be better but he still is at least out there doing something and his teammate Hogan has been a welcome addition to the Pats this year. Cole Beasley has done better with a new QB but a similar player Campanaro has been bothered by nagging injuries forever it seems. Alex Erickson returns kicks but hasn't made a mark yet at WR and he may never get a chance. Speedster Jeff Janis has yet to be integrated into the Packers offense and again will he ever get a chance to show his talents? Decker being out for the year is a bummer because he has been a steady performer. Not much to hang our hats on but with five regular season games left all we can do is sit back and hope for the best despite the slim pickings.

 

[Leonardfan]

So I have read that the Eagles will probably pursue midget malcontent Desean Jackson in the offeseason. Another overrated WR in their joke of a WR corp.

Coughlin may also return to the Jaguars in some capacity

 

[MrPoon]

The NFL needs a Trumplike disruptor as commissioner. Do much rot.

 

[Romosexual]

The NFL needs a Trumplike disruptor as commissioner. Do much rot.

If the NFL was opened up via anti trust legislation and subjected to market forces, odds are small and or smart teams (such the Patirots) would look outside the box when it comes to talent. As it is, its a closed shop, so long as no one rocks the boat by fielding white heavy teams, nothing will change, ever.

 

[Ambrose]

New York Post: The NFL Could ‘Fall Like Gladiators of Ancient Rome’


Mary Pilon of the New York Post went biblical, or at least ancient Roman, in prophesizing how she believes the demise of the NFL might come about. Pilon likened NFL players to “gladiators,” warning that the health concerns associated with football, such as concussions, might eventually cost the NFL their privileged place as the sport of choice for most Americans.
After a personal note about her longtime football-watching father who has lost interest in the league, she gave a thorough run down of the NFL’s recent ratings nosedive. Pilon then crossed the analogy Rubicon, “The fall of Rome seemed unthinkable to people at the time, but inevitable to historians reflecting upon it with the benefit of context. At their height, gladiator contests made war a diversion, thousands charged into majestic amphitheaters, including Rome’s Colosseum, to watch hundreds of gladiators slay wild beasts and each other.

Then, Pilon writes, the disapproval of violence in the gladiator games grew to a fever pitch. The Philosopher Seneca wrote, “Now finesse is set aside, and we have pure unadulterated murder. The combatants have no protective covering; their entire bodies are exposed to the blows.

“This is what lots of people prefer to the regular contests… And it is obvious why. There is no helmet, no shield to repel the blade. Why have armor? Why bother with skill? All that just delays death.”

The outcry from Seneca, Christians, and others eventually made the gladiator games “culturally unacceptable.” Pilon thinks a similar pattern, with a twist, could happen with the NFL: “While the US government is unlikely to ever limit the number of football games, plenty of parents are refusing to let their children play the sport due to the risk of head injuries. The more we learn about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain disease that has plagued scores of professional players, the harder it becomes for many of us to watch the gladiators out on the field. And the more we know about players committing violence off the field, especially against women and children, the more we — like Seneca — turn off altogether.”

Pilon sums up by saying that the rise of the UFC proves American’s thirst for violence in sport is alive and well. However, the NFL lacks a powerful overriding narrative, such as the Cubs pursuing their first World Series in 108 years. Coupled with “replays and officiating” overwhelming the “game play” on the field, the pace and drama of what’s happening on the field has made the NFL product unwatchable.

In closing, Pilon speculates that the uninterrupted and better-paced violence of the UFC might eventually replace the NFL, the same way chariot-racing eventually replaced the gladiators: “For better or for worse, fans have a new place to celebrate muscles and gore, free from leaden rules and commercial breaks but filled with intense drama and action. Football, like boxing, will never go away, just occupy a different role in the American zeitgeist. The change will be glacial, not instant. And mixed martial arts may just be the chariot-racing alternative of our time.”

The NFL faces double-digit ratings declines across all networks. Could the NFL’s barbarians be at the gates? Time will tell.


Link: http://www.breitbart.com/sports/2016/12/04/new-york-post-nfl-fall-like-gladiators-ancient-rome/

Obviously the writer wouldn't publish what is said here: the fan base is getting older, perhaps finally seeing these black players for the imposters they are, and younger white Americans are not as interested in sports as their parents once were.

 

[Upside]

Below are teams that will be going into 2017 with question marks at Quarterback:

DAL - The Cowboys will move forward with Prescott. I guess if anything, it's nice to see a black quarterback actually earn his job for a change. This leaves Romo, still a capable starter, looking for work. It would only be fair that Dallas cut or trade him next year and allow him to continue his career elsewhere. Prescott is still a bit of an unknown, so they will be in the market for a veteran in a backup capacity.

CHI - Bears will likely draft a QB early, and in turn, probably dump Cutler. Hoyer looked great before the injury earlier this year and will likely be the stopgap going into next season. On the other hand, this has Romo written all over it...

ARZ - Palmer at one point was one of the best in the business, and played great last year, but has struggled mightily in 2016. I think his starting job is safe going into 2017, but the Cards will make a significant move at the QB spot for the future.

SF -With his rousing performance Sunday, Kaepernick is probably finished as a starter. 2016 was Gabbert's chance, and it didn't work out, but he'll probably hang around as a backup. I'd like to see Christian Ponder finish out the year as the starter. Assuming they fix the receiving corps, this in my oppinion would be the ideal landing spot for Glennon. They will certainly be in the QB market.

MIN - I don't feel that Bridgewater is good enough to be a starter at this level, however, I can't confidently say that Bradford has taken his job. He's played ok, but had he put up 25+ TDs then it would be cut and dry. Unfortunately, he'll struggle to hit 20 by year's end, and that is basically Bridgewater-esque production, and Bridgewater is 'their guy'... It'll be one or the other going into '17.

JAX - I really hope the Jags aren't foolish enough to throw in the towel on Bortles. It hasn't been pretty, but he's still on track for 25+ TDs and 4000 yards; you don't just throw that away. Not a guy still on his rookie contract.... They have bigger issues on the o-line and at RB, so I think he's safe.

HOU - Osweiller has been a disappointment this season, but let's remember, this is his first season as a starter. Aside from the fact that they are married to him for a least a couple more years, I think he deserves another year before judgment. They really need to fix that o-line too.

NYJ - After the offseason episode, and the way he was mocked by the media, then failing to live up to it, I just don't see Fitz in a starting role after this season. Honestly, they should turn it over to Petty now to see what they have in him. Good or Bad, at least they'll have some direction going into 2017, but one thing I've learned, you can't expect NFL coaches and executives to use common sense...

BUF - I don't think Tyrod Taylor is awful, but what I see is a QB that struggles to throw for 200 yards per game in a league where even the bad quarterbacks average around 300. It's just not sustainable, and at this level, he simply doesn't belong in a starting role. Not that any of that really matters, because with the Ryan boys pulling the strings, I doubt they'll go in another direction... but should.

CLE - Griffin is everything we knew he was and is likely finished. McCown is a solid backup. The question is what happens to Kessler? I think he showed enough be named starter going into 2017. Nevertheless, they will be looking to draft a quarterback next season, but hopefully afford Kessler a chance.

I haven't gotten a chance to dig into the draft class this year, but here are some veterans to watch that are up for a promotion or could be part of a trade:

Tony Romo
Jay Cutler
Mike Glennon
Bryce Petty
Cody Kessler
Brian Hoyer
Carson Palmer
AJ McCarron
Jimmy Garoppolo
Colt McCoy

With these big names floating around, I honestly don't see any rookies starting next year...

 

[Leonardfan]

Nice writeup Upside. This year's draft isn't looking to promising so I think a lot of offseason QB moves will be made. I hope that Smiff, Gremlin and Krapernick are out of the league next year.

Romo or Cutler will probably be a Jet next year. They will be a solid bridge to a younger QB.

 

[Romosexual]

Romo has been Bledsoe'd he'd really want to pick a team with good pass protection, otherwise it'll be a short season for him. All things in life being fair, Smiff, Toucan will be out of the league, whatever way you want to rate QB's they are bottom of the barrel, if someone like Tebow who is a superior and more durable version(á la Cam Newton) cannot catch on these bums should be gone. But they wont, they'll hang around as token black QB's

 

[Leonardfan]

The Browns have stupidly put the gremlin back in as the starter rather than giving Kessler the reps in a lost season. I look dumber by the day for actually being an advocate for Clueless Hue.