A lot has happened in the month after the super bowl. There's a lot to talk about, but here are my top stories:
Combine QBs
None of the top prospects in this draft look to be franchise guys in my opinion. Bridgewater seems to be the most polished, but he doesn't have elite size or arm talent. Bortles is a project and Manziel is a project plus some. All three will likely go in the first round and it's very possible that Manziel goes first. Perhaps the Texas A&M QB will prove doubters wrong, but I'm highly doubtful. He's small and doesn't have good on or off field discipline. Manziel is not Russell Wilson and it's kind of idiotic to make a comparison between the two. Wilson's discipline and poise are light years ahead of Manziel not to mention Wilson is thicker and throws a much better ball. Read this and then tell me Johnny Manziel is a franchise QB. Exactly.
Teams in need of a QB need to focus on other priorities in the first round. Taking a QB in the first round means you think he can come in day one and lead your team for the next decade. If Colin Kaepernick, who's talent far exceeds any of these prospects, wasn't a good enough prospect to be taken in the first round then that's all you need to know.
Michael Sam
What a historic event Sam's announcement has been. I applaud his courage and resolve to come out before the draft and to help facilitate a conservation that's long overdue in sports and football. Personally I think those who are bothered by Sam's sexual orientation need to grow up and shut up. So y'all only want to be able to walk around naked with straight men? Hmm... But I digress. I am impressed by Michael Sam the person, but not by Michael Sam the football player. During the combine we saw a lack of explosion and athleticism that one would want to see from a dominant SEC player. If Sam doesn't get drafted, and he may not, it will be unfortunate because I think the league needs more people like him, but his mediocre combine performance may scare teams away.
The Browns
Are completely lost. Trent Richardson is very glad to have been traded and if I'm a player on that team I cannot feel good about my future in Cleveland. Perhaps the team's latest struggles to appear like they have some sense of direction will prompt fans to stop attending games. The loyalty of the fan base is one big reason why this team has been so terrible for so long. Cleveland fans are like the abused spouse who is convinced that their lover really does care about them despite reality. If you stop going to games Browns fans the owner will change. If I'm a top prospect and get drafted by the Browns I sign the shortest contract possible and bolt as soon as I can.
Clowney's 40
Who gives a flying fugg? Individual defensive lineman are overrated. Robert Quinn is probably the most talented young end in the game and despite having a "monster" season averaged 1.2 sacks per game on a team that finished last in their division. Having a dominant D line means far more than having one dominant player. Clowney is no doubt a monster, but we knew that. Is he Lawrence Taylor? Probably not. Is he Julius Peppers? Maybe, but how many championships did Peppers lead his team to? Reggie White only has one ring as does Strahan and Sapp. Let's not get carried away here. Clowney is a rare athlete, but don't expect him to lead a team to a championship.
Sammy Watkins
I'd take Watkins over Clowney if I had the choice. Yup, you heard me.
Harbaugh and the Niners
The stories this off season about Harbaugh being shopped to the Browns are worrisome. I'm not sure what exactly is going on, but you never want a story involving upper management to go public. Harbaugh has a reputation for being difficult to deal with and it seems clear that the frustrations with the Niners not being able to bring home a title is causing some friction. The Niners would probably be crazy to not offer Harbaugh a huge contract simply because they don't have a better option as a head coach. Whether or not Harbaugh has the type of longevity that Walsh or Belichick has remains to be seen.
Riley Cooper
I was a bit surprised with this resigning. I hope Cooper is making progress with his issues surrounding race, but there's no way I'd resign him as a GM. If for nothing else than to make an example of a guy that expresses some deeply problematic attitudes that involve the majority of players in the NFL. Perhaps the Eagles can justify resigning Cooper as strictly a business decision, rewarding a player for a good season, but usually decision made in that type of vacuum don't pay dividends.
The N-word
I hate the word and think it shouldn't be used by anyone. I am one of those black people that grew up in a home that never used the word and only heard it when I went to visit family in the south. I get that people grow up using in a different context and am all to aware of it's prevalence in music. The use of the N-word by some groups of people an not others is a hornets nest of controversy that I personally think can be avoided if we all just stop using it. All that being said I think the ban of the N-word by the NFL is stupid. It's like trying to legislate against premarital sex (something I have no problem with). The diminished use of the N-word in our society has to come from the bottom up, not the top down. Better to let individual teams and locker rooms police this issue than a governing body.
Okay, that's all for now folks. Look for an article at least each month during the offseason.
Combine QBs
None of the top prospects in this draft look to be franchise guys in my opinion. Bridgewater seems to be the most polished, but he doesn't have elite size or arm talent. Bortles is a project and Manziel is a project plus some. All three will likely go in the first round and it's very possible that Manziel goes first. Perhaps the Texas A&M QB will prove doubters wrong, but I'm highly doubtful. He's small and doesn't have good on or off field discipline. Manziel is not Russell Wilson and it's kind of idiotic to make a comparison between the two. Wilson's discipline and poise are light years ahead of Manziel not to mention Wilson is thicker and throws a much better ball. Read this and then tell me Johnny Manziel is a franchise QB. Exactly.
Teams in need of a QB need to focus on other priorities in the first round. Taking a QB in the first round means you think he can come in day one and lead your team for the next decade. If Colin Kaepernick, who's talent far exceeds any of these prospects, wasn't a good enough prospect to be taken in the first round then that's all you need to know.
Michael Sam
What a historic event Sam's announcement has been. I applaud his courage and resolve to come out before the draft and to help facilitate a conservation that's long overdue in sports and football. Personally I think those who are bothered by Sam's sexual orientation need to grow up and shut up. So y'all only want to be able to walk around naked with straight men? Hmm... But I digress. I am impressed by Michael Sam the person, but not by Michael Sam the football player. During the combine we saw a lack of explosion and athleticism that one would want to see from a dominant SEC player. If Sam doesn't get drafted, and he may not, it will be unfortunate because I think the league needs more people like him, but his mediocre combine performance may scare teams away.
The Browns
Are completely lost. Trent Richardson is very glad to have been traded and if I'm a player on that team I cannot feel good about my future in Cleveland. Perhaps the team's latest struggles to appear like they have some sense of direction will prompt fans to stop attending games. The loyalty of the fan base is one big reason why this team has been so terrible for so long. Cleveland fans are like the abused spouse who is convinced that their lover really does care about them despite reality. If you stop going to games Browns fans the owner will change. If I'm a top prospect and get drafted by the Browns I sign the shortest contract possible and bolt as soon as I can.
Clowney's 40
Who gives a flying fugg? Individual defensive lineman are overrated. Robert Quinn is probably the most talented young end in the game and despite having a "monster" season averaged 1.2 sacks per game on a team that finished last in their division. Having a dominant D line means far more than having one dominant player. Clowney is no doubt a monster, but we knew that. Is he Lawrence Taylor? Probably not. Is he Julius Peppers? Maybe, but how many championships did Peppers lead his team to? Reggie White only has one ring as does Strahan and Sapp. Let's not get carried away here. Clowney is a rare athlete, but don't expect him to lead a team to a championship.
Sammy Watkins
I'd take Watkins over Clowney if I had the choice. Yup, you heard me.
Harbaugh and the Niners
The stories this off season about Harbaugh being shopped to the Browns are worrisome. I'm not sure what exactly is going on, but you never want a story involving upper management to go public. Harbaugh has a reputation for being difficult to deal with and it seems clear that the frustrations with the Niners not being able to bring home a title is causing some friction. The Niners would probably be crazy to not offer Harbaugh a huge contract simply because they don't have a better option as a head coach. Whether or not Harbaugh has the type of longevity that Walsh or Belichick has remains to be seen.
Riley Cooper
I was a bit surprised with this resigning. I hope Cooper is making progress with his issues surrounding race, but there's no way I'd resign him as a GM. If for nothing else than to make an example of a guy that expresses some deeply problematic attitudes that involve the majority of players in the NFL. Perhaps the Eagles can justify resigning Cooper as strictly a business decision, rewarding a player for a good season, but usually decision made in that type of vacuum don't pay dividends.
The N-word
I hate the word and think it shouldn't be used by anyone. I am one of those black people that grew up in a home that never used the word and only heard it when I went to visit family in the south. I get that people grow up using in a different context and am all to aware of it's prevalence in music. The use of the N-word by some groups of people an not others is a hornets nest of controversy that I personally think can be avoided if we all just stop using it. All that being said I think the ban of the N-word by the NFL is stupid. It's like trying to legislate against premarital sex (something I have no problem with). The diminished use of the N-word in our society has to come from the bottom up, not the top down. Better to let individual teams and locker rooms police this issue than a governing body.
Okay, that's all for now folks. Look for an article at least each month during the offseason.
