So...

This would probably be one of the most tested air crafts when it resumes flying...

That first 6 months... would you fly on it?


Boeing doesn't expect the 737 Max to resume flying before mid-2020

There were signs Boeing would once again have to push back the 737 Max's expected return to the skies, and it just confirmed as much. The aircraft maker now expects the troubled aircraft to start the "ungrounding" process in mid-2020 based on its "experience to date with the certification process." While this still isn't set in stone, it suggests you'll have to wait at least a few months before the 737 Max is cleared to resume flights -- and that's assuming there are no further complications.

The clearest sign of further problems came just days ago, when Boeing found a new flight control computer bug that effectively prevented takeoff. This wasn't the only sign, though. American Airlines recently extended its cancellations of service using the 737 Max from April to June, signalling that it didn't expect a resolution until the end of spring at the earliest.

Boeing has a tentative fix for the safety system design flaw that led to two deadly crashes and the subsequent grounding of all 737 Max jets. However, there are many hurdles to getting it back into the air, including Boeing's own software headaches, certification flights (both in the US and abroad) and checks by the airlines that intend to use it. It's not shocking that Boeing would extend the wait, then, and the company's decision to freeze production has become that much more important in hindsight.

NFL 2020 quarterback market: Breaking down Tom Brady and the QBs who will be hitting free agency

Now that Super Bowl LIV is in the rearview mirror, we can finally turn our attention to the offseason. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ersmade it to the championship game thanks to upgrades at the quarterback position. Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs won the MVP award last year in his first season as a starter, and picked up a Lombardi Trophy as well as the Super Bowl MVP award this year. For the 49ers, in his first full season as a starter, Jimmy Garoppolo helped take San Francisco from 4-12 to 13-3.

This offseason, teams still searching for a franchise quarterback will be examining the open market in hopes of signing someone who can take them to the next level, much like Mahomes and Garoppolo did for their respective teams. There are also franchises that are looking to hold on to future Pro Football Hall of Famers -- such as the New England Patriots -- and teams that are still wondering if they should re-up with their former No. 1 overall pick, like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Either way, this offseason has the potential to be entertaining when it comes to the quarterback position. Will Tom Brady opt to leave the Patriots? Who will start for the Tennessee Titans next year? Is Philip Rivers really done in Los Angeles?

Let's take a look at the free-agent quarterbacks:

Tom Brady
Brady is definitely the key free-agent quarterback this offseason. While he turns 43 in August, several teams would line up to sign the future Hall of Famer should he choose to leave New England. He's clearly enjoying the attention, and sent the football world in a frenzy with a tweet that depicted him either entering or leaving Gillette Stadium. The tweet ended up being part of an ad for Hulu that aired at the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl LIV. The Patriots are reportedly willing to pay at least $30 million per seasonto keep Brady, but he wants that money put towards acquiring offensive weapons that could make a difference for New England. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Raiders are a team that will pursue Brady if he doesn't re-sign with the Patriots. That could force New England to try and get a deal done. Buckle up.

Drew Brees
While Brees is not under contract, it's not likely that he will sign somewhere other than with the New Orleans Saints. The 41-year-old has spent the last 14 seasons as the starting quarterback for the Saints, but is reportedly considering retirement for the first time in his career. Is this just a part of contract negotiations, or is the NFL's all-time leading passer really thinking about hanging up his cleats? Brees had another nice season in 2019, passing for 2,979 yards, 27 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 11 games. According to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, the Saints want to pass the torch to Taysom Hill, who is a restricted free agent, when the time comes. That means it's likely New Orleans will let another quarterback go this offseason -- someone who is mentioned later on in this list.

Dak Prescott
The Dallas Cowboys and Prescott have been engaged in this weird song and dance for over a year now. The Cowboys' owner has verbally guaranteed that Prescott will be given a lucrative extension, but it hasn't happened just yet. As my colleague Patrik Walker reports, Prescott was ready to sign a longterm contract with the Cowboys before the 2019 season, and even early into it, but an offer that satisfied his palate never arrived. Prescott voiced his "confidence" in a deal being done soon, and Jerry Jones -- along with team exec Stephen Jones -- pulls no punches when it comes to voicing the "sense of urgency" in finally coming to terms with their franchise QB. The team wants to avoid using the $26.9 million franchise tag on Prescott, because although they can afford it, he doesn't have to sign it; and likely won't. Could Prescott hold out this offseason? It's possible. Still, it seems likely he will stay in Dallas. Prescott did his part on the field in 2019, passing for a career-high 4,902 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Yet, the Cowboys finished 8-8.

Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill played himself into some money this season. The Titans traded for the former Miami Dolphins signal caller last offseason to back up Marcus Mariota, and he ended up taking over the position in Week 6. In 11 games, he passed for 2,742 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions, and helped the Titans win seven out of their last 10 games. Tannehill ended the regular season with the highest passer rating in the NFL, and he and Derrick Henryended up taking the Titans to the AFC Championship game. The Titans will attempt to re-sign Tannehill to a multi-year extension or even utilize the franchise tag to keep him, but he could end up testing the open market, where he's sure to generate interest.

Philip Rivers
You've probably read the reports indicating that the Los Angeles Chargersare ready to move on from Rivers, but nothing is official yet. While he's been a fixture for the Chargers over the past 16 seasons, the 38-year-old had a tough season in 2019, throwing for 4,615 yards, 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions as the Chargers finished in last place in the AFC West with a 5-11 record. Rivers is also reportedly moving to Florida. According to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, who reported in November that Rivers and the Chargers would likely be parting ways, there's "a lot of buzz" about Tampa Bay as a potential landing spot for Rivers. If that indeed happens, the Buccaneers would be parting ways with their former No. 1 overall pick ...

Jameis Winston
The Buccaneers have a tough decision to make regarding Winston. Do they tab him as their quarterback of the future by offering him a lucrative extension, or do they try to look for something better? Winston is a polarizing prospect. While he led the NFL in passing yards with 5,109 and also threw 33 touchdowns, he led the league with 30 interceptions. It was often times boom or bust for the 26-year-old. Back in December, head coach Bruce Arians fielded questions about Winston and his future with the team -- and while Arians and the organization have not made a final decision yet, Arians made it clear that he believes the Buccaneers can win with or without Winston.

"(Win) with another quarterback? Oh yeah," Arians said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "If we can win with this one, we can definitely win with another one, too."

While some people may take those comments as evidence the Buccaneers will not bring back Winston, it may be more of a negotiation tactic. Winston can be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL if he cuts down on the turnovers, but that is a huge if.

Marcus Mariota
Mariota is expected to get some attention on the open market, but whether that's as a Day 1 starter or as a backup remains to be seen. He threw for 1,203 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions for the Titans before being benched for Tannehill this season. It ended up being the right decision, as Tennessee then won seven out of its last 10 games and made it all the way to the AFC Championship game. Mariota's rookie contract is up and it's very unlikely that the Titans will re-sign him, so he's free to explore greener pastures. The former No. 2 overall pick did have an incredible second year back in 2016, as he threw for 3,426 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions, but he was unable to build on those marks. In fact, he's thrown just 31 touchdowns over the last three seasons combined. Mariota definitely has potential, and it will be interesting to see which team decides to take a flier on him.

Teddy Bridgewater
Bridgewater might be the most underrated quarterback hitting free agency. He's played in just 14 games for the Saints over the past two seasons, but has stepped up when called upon. After Brees went down with his hand injury in Week 2, Bridgewater stepped in and won the next five games. The Saints didn't miss a beat with Bridgewater under center and he was a big reason New Orleans went 13-3 and won the NFC South. In all, he passed for 1,384 yards, nine touchdowns and just two interceptions in 2019. As previously mentioned, the Saints are more enticed by their Swiss Army knife instead of the proven Bridgewater, which means he should be free to sign with any team. The former first-round pick appears to be fully recovered from the devastating leg injury he suffered with the Minnesota Vikings back in 2016, and he seems completely capable of escorting a franchise into the future. He's only 27 years old!

The rest of the bunch:

Case Keenum (Washington Redskins)

Matt Moore (Kansas City Chiefs)

Jeff Driskel (Detroit Lions)

Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)

Colt McCoy (Washington Redskins)

A.J. McCarron (Houston Texans)

Nate Sudfeld (Philadelphia Eagles)

Blake Bortles (Los Angeles Rams)

Drew Stanton (Cleveland Browns)

Brett Hundley (Arizona Cardinals)

Josh McCown (Philadelphia Eagles)

Trevor Siemian (New York Jets)

Blaine Gabbert (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Mike Glennon (Las Vegas Raiders)

Sean Mannion (Minnesota Vikings)

David Fales (New York Jets)

Cody Kessler (New England Patriots)

Matt Simms (Atlanta Falcons)

Alex Tanney (New York Giants)

Chase Daniel (Chicago Bears)

Chad Henne (Kansas City Chiefs)

Joe Webb (Houston Texans)

Rams have their starting safeties, but depth is now a question

The Los Angeles Rams addressed the safety position in a big way last offseason, signing Eric Weddle as a free agent before selecting Taylor Rapp with their first pick in the draft. The result was a safety group flush with top-tier talent and depth, which the Rams needed after John Johnson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 6.

The depth at that position doesn’t look so great now after Eric Weddle announced his retirement on Thursday. The Rams knew they probably wouldn’t have Weddle back in 2020 after he made it clear that he didn’t want to be a backup, so this wasn’t exactly shocking news to the team.

However, Los Angeles doesn’t have much proven talent under contract behind Johnson and Rapp, who are expected to be the starters. In fact, most fans probably couldn’t name the Rams’ two primary backup safeties right now.

Nick Scott and Jake Gervase are the only backups under contract for 2020, which doesn’t instill much confidence at that spot. Combined, they played 28 defensive snaps last season – 15 for Scott and 13 for Gervase.

Marqui Christian, who was the No. 3 safety behind Weddle and Rapp, played 371 defensive snaps but will be a free agent this offseason. With Weddle retired, re-signing Christian just became that much more important.

That won’t be difficult to do considering the Rams just gained $5.25 million in salary cap space with Weddle’s retirement, money that can be used to keep Christian and possibly Greg Zuerlein, too.

But even if Christian is back, the Rams could use another safety on the roster. Gervase doesn’t have much experience and Scott is more of a special teams player than a defensive back at this point in his career.

Signing a free agent like Darian Thompson or Jayron Kearse would give the Rams another player with NFL experience behind Rapp and Johnson, in the event that an injury occurs. Christian isn’t a traditional safety, either, playing more of a hybrid role at linebacker.

This isn’t to say the Rams should make safety a top priority this offseason, but they also can’t afford to ignore the position and go into the year with Scott and Gervase as the primary backups.

Can LA Rams WR Brandin Cooks stretch the field in 2020?

The LA Rams were a little tight-fisted when it came to planning for the 2019 offensive line, but the team seemed to have an nearly endless supply of both funds and enthusiasm when a skill player was up for a new contract. And so it went that the Rams locked in WR Brandin Cooks to a long-term deal, and in return locked up the LA Rams until 2023 to the receiver.

The plan was sound. locking in a burst speed receiver to keep safeties locked into playing over the top plays, which would give teammate running back Todd Gurleyfewer defenders. That type of speedy receiver need not be the target on a passing play, merely the threat of the deep pass is enough to counter any defensive plans to put eight defenders in the box. But defenses have figured out the weakness to that strategy.

Cooks, as fast as he is, needs time to run 20+ yards downfield. Speedy edge rushers need to rush just five to eight yards to get to quarterback Jared Goff. Through the 2018 season, Cooks was the faster of the two racers. But in 2019, edge rushers got the upper hand. In 2018, Cooks saw 989 offensive snaps, 117 targets, 80 catches and 1,204 yards. In 2019, Cooks saw just 701 offensive snaps, 72 targets, 42 catches and just 583 yards.

In 2018, Cooks was targeted nearly 12 percent of the time, resulting in 10.3 yards per target, and 15 yards per reception. In 2019, Cooks was targeted just 10.7 percent of the time, resulting in 8.1 yards per target and just 13.9 yards per catch. Cooks production dropped across the board.

Making matters that much worse is the fact that Cooks dropped from 90 percent of the offensive snaps in 2018 to just 63 percent of the offensive snaps in 2019. Not only did the Rams need to shorten the time for Cooks routes to develop, but the wide receiver was not on the field for nearly 40 percent of the offensive plays.

The concept is sound. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks can stretch the field if he can stay on the field and if the quarterback has time. Neither was the case in 2019. So if the argument to keep a highly compensated Cooks on the Rams roster is primarily based on “we need him to stretch the field”, perhaps the Rams need to do a much better job in 2020 to ensure that truly is the case.

Otherwise, why have Cooks on the roster earning nearly $17 million ? That is much like buying a NASCAR racing car to keep in the garage. Fast players, like fast cars, are only valuable when they are moving quickly.

Does Joe Burrow hope the Bengals don’t draft him?

The puzzle pieces are piling up. And it’s not all that hard to see what Joe Burrow may be trying to assemble.

Burrow may be thinking about trying to get the Bengals to not draft him — or to get someone else to trade up and get him. And the evidence is becoming more and more clear.

In the aftermath of winning the national championship, Burrow said that he’s happy to play for any team that will pay him to play football. Which presumably includes the Bengals (although owner Mike Brown would surely love to get Burrow to keep playing for free.)

Then came the Super Bowl week shot across the bow from former Bengals No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer, who went on the record to say the Bengals aren’t trying to win a Super Bowl. (Based on Palmer’s time with the Bengals and with other teams, it’s safe to say he knows.) Palmer’s assessment became more ominous when it quickly came out that Palmer’s brother, Jordan, will be helping get Burrow ready for the draft.

Next, Joe Burrow appeared on The Dan Patrick Show. And Burrow didn’t reiterate his “whoever wants to pay me money to play the game of football, I’ll play for ’em, it doesn’t matter to me” line. Instead, Burrow said this: “You want to go No. 1. But you also want to go to a great organization that is committed to winning. Committed to winning Super Bowls.”

So the brother of Burrow’s private coach, who was a first overall pick of the Bengals, says the Bengals aren’t committed to winning Super Bowls. And then Burrow says that he wants to play for a team that is committed to winning Super Bowls. Sure, there’s nothing to see here.

Earlier this week, former Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who is also part of Team Burrow, seemed to encourage the Bengals to take what they can get from the Dolphins, who hold pick No. 5 — and whose owner wants Burrow.

Most recently, Joe Burrow’s dad had a chance to remove all doubt regarding whether Burrow wants the Bengals if the Bengals want Burrow. Instead, Jimmy Burrow simply said, “Not sure where that information is coming from. We are all excited that Joe has put himself in a position to be considered as a possible high draft choice.”

The information is coming from Carson Palmer saying the Bengals aren’t committed to winning a Super Bowl and the hiring of Jordan Palmer and Joe Burrow’s sudden pivot from not being picky to wanting a team that is committed to winning a Super Bowl. And the information will continue to have credibility until Joe Burrow comes out and says, “I want to play for the Bengals, if the Bengals draft me.”

Until then, it’s fair to wonder whether Burrow is hoping that the Bengals don’t trade him, or that the Bengals trade the pick. It’s too early, however, to think that Burrow would stiff arm the Bengals. As Peter King (who covered the Bengals in the 1980s) said earlier this week on PFT Live, Mike Brown would be inclined to dig in and force Burrow to sit out the full year and re-enter the draft in 2021.

Even if Burrow would perhaps like to play for someone other than the Bengals, it could be a stretch to say he’d turn down a fully-guaranteed four-year contract worth more than $36 million, wait a year, and re-enter the process with no guarantee that he’d be the top pick.

So the Bengals have the power here. And if they take Burrow with the intent of keeping, Burrow’s choices are getting paid a lot of money to play football or getting paid nothing to wait a year and hope that things work out differently, with no guarantee that they will.

View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2875253-its-time-for-the-steelers-to-cut-ties-with-big-ben-find-qb-in-2020-free-agency

It's Time for the Steelers to Cut Ties with Big Ben, Find QB in 2020 Free Agency

Even before his 2019 season ended abruptly as the result of a significant elbow injury, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked tired, defeated and old. Older than he is (37), and older than fellow grizzled quarterbacks like Tom Brady (42) and Drew Brees (41).

Roethlisberger doesn't appear to have a health regimen like Brady's. His career sack rate (6.5 percent) is almost double that of Brees, and higher than the likes of oft-roughed-up quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck.

He's been bruised and battered, and he's less supported from a personnel standpoint now than he was in his prime.

We're working with a small sample from 2018, but before getting hurt two games into the 2019 season, Big Ben was the NFL's third-lowest-rated qualified passer. He attempted 11 deep passes in those two losses to the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, but he completed just one of those 11 throws.

And that wasn't just about the elbow. In 2018, Roethlisberger was one of 23 quarterbacks to attempt 75 or more passes that traveled 15-plus yards, but only he, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Mitchell Trubisky completed fewer than 40 percent of said throws.

Now, a year later, coming off surgery to reattach three tendons in the elbow on his throwing arm, how could anyone expect Roethlisberger to suddenly reverse the downward trajectory of his career? He hasn't been a triple-digit-rated passer since 2014, he hasn't been a Pro Bowler since 2017, and between 2015 and 2018, only Rivers and Jameis Winston threw more interceptions than the two-time Super Bowl champion.

The two-year, $68 million contract extension the Steelers gave Roethlisberger last offseason was a huge mistake. According to Spotrac, even if the team were to trade or release him this offseason, they'd be on the hook for a $25 million salary-cap hit.

But that's a sunk cost now, and there's no reason to pay Roethlisberger anything beyond that if he's not going to help you win championships.

Pittsburgh is a fringe contender, but not exactly because of its quarterback. The defense is loaded with so much talent that the 2019 Steelers almost snuck into the playoffs with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges under center.

There are probably some within the organization, and maybe even some fans, who secretly wish Roethlisberger would retire—a move which would immediately create cap space for a team that is projected by Spotrac to enter the offseason with literally no money to spend.

Big Ben has openly mulled over retirement in the past, and he himself suggested that he might not "have it anymore" back in 2017. But there's been no indication he's considering walking away this offseason, and doing so wouldn't make much sense for an injured player with that much money on the table.

But the Steelers still have some control here. Regardless of what he's owed, the simple reality is that by releasing or trading Roethlisberger this offseason, Pittsburgh would free up $8.5 million.

They could then appropriate that money for Roethlisberger's replacement. And this is a hell of a year to be on the market for a signal-caller.

The Steelers could try to trade for Cam Newton, who would cost less than $20 million as a bridge in 2020, and then use their second-round draft pick on a potential long-term option like Utah State's Jordan Love, Georgia's Jake Fromm, Washington's Jacob Eason or Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts.

Newton is also worn down and coming off an injury, but the 2015 MVP is seven years younger than Roethlisberger, and the two have fairly similar attributes and playing styles.

Alternatively, Brady, Brees, Dak Prescott, Rivers, Teddy Bridgewater, Ryan Tannehill, Winston and Marcus Mariota are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next month.

You can make the argument that Brady's declining now, too, and that he'd be too expensive with Roethlisberger still on the books. Same logic applies to Brees, who has said it'll be the New Orleans Saints or bust in 2020, and Rivers is just as old and also in decline. Meanwhile, Prescott is almost certain to at least get the franchise tag from the Dallas Cowboys.

But what about Bridgewater? He'll become available if Brees returns. He's 27, he's got a Pro Bowl on his resume, and he won all five of his starts in place of an injured Brees in 2019.

Then there's Tannehill, who could get away from the Tennessee Titans if Tennessee reels in a bigger name like Brady. The 2012 top-10 pick is six years younger than Big Ben, and he made the Pro Bowl as the league's highest-rated qualified passer in a breakout 2019 campaign.

Winston is an interception machine, but he also passed for over 5,000 yards and led the NFC with 33 touchdown throws with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019. The 26-year-old's future appears to be completely up in the air at the moment.

And Mariota is a wild card, but the 2015 No. 2 overall pick is also only 26, and he'd likely come a lot cheaper than the rest of those guys because he was benched for Tannehill in 2019.

There's risk associated with trading in your future Hall of Fame quarterback for a dude like Newton, Bridgewater, Tannehill, Winston or Mariota, but the cost is almost nil financially, and you get a hell of a lot younger at the game's most important position.

And again, none of those guys would have to carry the Steelers on their shoulders. This is a team that registered an NFL-best 38 takeaways while surrendering just 4.7 yards per play—tied for lowest in the league—and ranking third in DVOA (defense-adjusted valued over average) at Football Outsiders last season.

At this point, all of the aforementioned quarterbacks arguably have higher ceilings than Roethlisberger, and none are substantially more likely to become liabilities than a quarterback who led the NFL in interceptions in 2018.

Pittsburgh would just have to double down with Love, Fromm, Eason, Hurts or even Bryce Perkins from Virginia or Steven Montez from Colorado in the draft. And suddenly, the organization would have two quality options with growth potential at a reasonable cost.

The spoiler here, of course, is that the Steelers won't do it. They'll stubbornly and pridefully stick with their washed-up quarterback, partly because they're still not ready to let go of a franchise legend who is obviously popular with the fanbase, and partly because they'd be too embarrassed to admit that 2019 contract extension was an error.

And that's a shame.

Tampa Bay Vipers vs. New York Guardians

Sunday's XFL opening weekend slate will feature a duel between a pair of expected contenders. The New York Guardians will host the Tampa Bay Vipers in game three of this weekend's four-game slate. The Guardians are the second XFL franchise to call the Big Apple home. The 2001 XFL featured the New York/New Jersey Hitmen, who played their games at the old Giants Stadium. The team finished with a 4-6 record and missed the postseason.

The Guardians are looking to fix that, especially in light of the Giants' and Jets' struggles in recent seasons. Meanwhile, the Vipers are the second Florida-based team for the XFL, following the Orlando Rage back in 2001. In XFL 1.0, the Rage posted the league's best record at 8-2 but came up short in the 2001 playoffs. So the Vipers have some history to live up to in 2020.

Before either team can think about long-term goals, they'll have to play one another to start the season. Let's get you ready for what should be an entertaining game.

Tampa Bay at New York

Kickoff: Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. ET
Where: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)
TV: FOX
Spread: Vipers -2.5

Three Things to Watch
1. Both head coaches have something to prove

The matchup between the head coaches could wind up being the most interesting part of this game. New York's Kevin Gilbride and Tampa's Marc Trestman both have something to prove this season. Gilbride wants to show that he can still lead a team after a six-year retirement. Gilbride had a memorable run as the Giants offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2004-13), where he won two Super Bowl rings (XLII, XLVI), and molded Eli Manning into a future Hall of Famer.

Trestman is out to prove that his recent NFL stint, which didn't go very well, was just a bump in the road and nothing more. Trestman coached the Bears in the two seasons following the Lovie Smith era (2013-14). Unfortunately, the Bears went just 13-19, there were numerous reports of locker room strife during that span, and Trestman was dismissed as soon as the 2014 campaign ended. From there, Trestman became the Ravens offensive coordinator where things didn't fare much better.

In 2015, the Ravens had a dismal 5-11 season in which they only went over the 20-point threshold in six games. Then-Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco only started 10 games that year before tearing both his ACL and MCL. Trestman was fired just five weeks into the 2016 season. Although the Ravens had a 3-2 record at the time of Trestman's firing, the Ravens were averaging just 19 points per game. Perhaps a fresh start in Tampa is what Trestman needs.

2. Choices at quarterback

Both teams have depth at quarterback, which could make for some interesting coaching decisions. Trestman says that Aaron Murray will start for the Vipers but that the other signal-callers on the roster — Taylor Cornelius, Quinton Flowers, and Chase Litton — could see snaps as well. Murray is best remembered for his four seasons at Georgia (2010-13) during which he threw for 13,166 yards and 121 touchdowns while winning two bowl games. After bouncing around a few NFL franchises from 2014 to '17, Murray seemed to find a home with the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).

Murray completed 64 percent of his passes for the Legends and threw for 1,048 yards and three touchdowns before the AAF folded. Cornelius threw for 3,978 yards and 32 touchdowns at Oklahoma State in 2018 and spent 2019 on the Packers' practice squad. Flowers, who is a Tampa legend based on his days at the University of South Florida (2014-17), is the American Athletic Conference's all-time leader in total offense (11,796 total yards, 112 combined touchdowns). Flowers spent time with both the Bengals and the Colts as a running back. Now with the Vipers, Trestman plans on giving Flowers reps at quarterback and using his speed in other packages as well.

As for Litton, he turned pro after just three seasons (2015-17) at Marshall. He was a practice squad player for both the Chiefs (2018) and Jaguars (2019) but was released from both teams after just a few weeks. Litton was originally chosen by Seattle in the XFL draft a few months ago but was traded to Tampa during training camp.

The Guardians also have some options under center. There's former Penn State standout Matt McGloin who played in 13 games for the Raiders (1,868 passing yards, 11 touchdowns) from 2013 and '16. There's also Luis Perez, who was originally assigned to the Los Angeles Wildcats but was traded to the Guardians just a few weeks ago. Perez made a name for himself with the AAF's Birmingham Iron in which he ranked third in passing yards (1,460), fifth in touchdown passes (5), and third in pass completions (135) at the time of the league's demise. New York also has former Tar Heel Marquise Williams, who's thrown 42 career passes in the NFL, CFL, and AAF.

3. Head-to-head

These two coaches have gone against one another before. When Trestman was coaching the Bears in 2013, they took on the New York Giants who had Gilbride calling their plays. The Bears won that Week 6 meeting 27-21, so there is some brief history between these two men, albeit that was nearly seven years ago and in two entirely different leagues.

Final Analysis

This will be a close game with plenty of points scored, but in the end, the Vipers have a little more firepower on their side.

Prediction: Vipers 30, Guardians 27

WTH? I have a hole in my trolling knowledge. When and over what subject did this video pop up out nowhere when clicked on, signifying that you'd been punked by Rich Ashley's video, "Never Gonna Give You Up."

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/BruceFeldmanCFB/status/1226228938835283970?s=20


Someone close to Gurley, don’t know what he’s hired as yet.

Anyone watching today?

XFL Football Games on TV Today (Saturday, Feb. 8)

After months of anticipation, the XFL will finally kick things off with its first two games on Saturday, Feb. 8. The relaunched version of the professional football league owned by Vince McMahon will have all eight teams in action this weekend.
The opening game pits the Seattle Dragons against the DC Defenders followed by the Los Angeles Wildcats matching up against the Houston Roughnecks. Plenty of questions surround the teams as they haven't been together very long, not to mention the quality of football that will be displayed in the XFL's first week of action.

So if you're wondering, "What football games are on today?" know this: There are two scheduled for today, Saturday, Feb. 8;

XFL Games on TV Today
Seattle Dragons at DC Defenders
2 p.m. ET on ABC – Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

The Dragons make the cross-country trek to our nation's capital to kick off the XFL season against the Defenders. Seattle head coach Jim Zorn has plenty of questions about his offense, starting with quarterback Brandon Silvers. On the other side, DC head coach Pep Hamilton is hoping to put his own stamp on an offense that has Cardale Jones at quarterback and a potentially potent running back duo in Donnel Pumphrey and Jhurell Pressley.

Los Angeles Wildcats at Houston Roughnecks
5 p.m. ET on FOX – TDECU Stadium (Houston)

The XFL will make its Texas debut when the Wildcats take on the Roughnecks in Houston in the second game of the season-opening doubleheader. Los Angeles has some uncertainty at quarterback entering this game due to an injury to expected starter Josh Johnson, while P.J. Walker beat out Connor Cook for the No. 1 spot on Houston's depth chart. With the questions under center, Wildcats head coach Winston Moss may have to lean more on his running game and call on his defensive background as the focal points of his game plan against June Jones' Roughnecks.

Why the Packers Should Wait to Draft Aaron Rodgers’ Successor

Aaron Rodgers is 36 and as he said earlier in the season, he is “on the back nine” of his NFL career. While there are many people saying the time has come to draft Rodgers’ heir apparent, the Green Bay Packers are better off waiting at least one more season before investing a high draft choice on a quarterback.

History shows that the Packers drafted Rodgers in 2005, when Brett Favre was 35. Rogers sat behind Favre for three seasons, learning the offense and adjusting to life in the NFL. He threw a total of 59 passes in those three seasons playing behind the NFL’s all-time iron man. When Favre retired, unretired and was traded before the 2008 season, Rodgers was ready to step up and perform at a high level.

But there are some key differences between 2005 and 2020 that need to be addressed. First, unlike Favre, Rodgers has not started to talk about retiring at the end of the upcoming season. The future Hall of Famer realizes he has only a few years left, but he has not threatened to hang up his cleats anytime soon.

The former Cal star is currently under contract through the end of the 2023 season. Rodgers will turn 40 in December of that year. That means he is under contract for four more seasons. Even if he doesn’t finish out all four years of his present deal, he is unlikely to retire for at least two or three more seasons.

Another important difference between 2005 and 2020 is the existence of a rookie wage scale. In 2005, the Packers signed Rodgers, the 24th overall pick in the draft, to a five-year deal worth a minimum of $7.7 million although with all incentives it could have been worth as much as $24.5 million.

Now, with the rookie wage scale in place, salaries for entry-level players are significantly lower than they were in 2005. For example, Rodgers’ cap hit this year was more than $29.6 million. Kyler Murray, the first overall pick in this year’s draft, had a cap hit of just under $8 million according to spotrac.com.

Teams use this lower cap hit during a quarterback’s entry-level deal to spend more money on the talent around their quarterback. This has helped many teams win or reach Super Bowls while their quarterback is still being paid less money. The Seahawks went to two straight Super Bowls and won one while Russell Wilson was being paid a relative pittance for a quarterback. The Rams reached the Super Bowl after the 2018 season while Jared Goff was still on his entry-level contract.

Rookie contracts run four years with a team option for a fifth year for first-round picks. If the Packers spent a high draft choice on a quarterback this year and he sits behind Rodgers for two or three seasons, they will be using up roughly half of his entry-level contract while the heir apparent sits on the bench and hardly plays. That will drastically reduce the window the Packers have to take advantage of the new quarterback’s entry-level deal.

If they wait another year before drafting Rodgers’ successor, the Packers gain another season that they would have extra money to spend to surround that quarterback with more talented players. This is crucial in the modern NFL.

Of course, there are exceptions. Remember, the Packers hadn’t planned on drafting a quarterback in 2005 either. Many experts felt Rodgers should have been the first overall pick in the draft. When he was still available at 24, the Packers knew the value was too good to pass up.

If something similar happens this year with the 30thpick and a player the Packers believe is a franchise quarterback falls to them, then sure, they can draft that quarterback this year. But barring a repeat of history, the Packers are better off waiting another year or two before drafting the heir apparent at quarterback. That will maximize the team’s salary cap window in the future. Ideally, the Packers can contend for the next few years with Rodgers and then maximize their salary cap window with his successor and continue to contend.

MICHAEL IRVIN: ‘VERY SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE’ TALKING ABOUT COWBOYS TRADING DAK PRESCOTT, SIGNING TOM BRADY

Though the Dallas Cowboys have publicly stated that Tom Brady is not a player of interest amid the ongoing contract discussions with Dak Prescott, many aren’t buying it.

Speaking about that very topic Friday on WEEI’s “Dale & Keefe,” NFL Network’s Michael Irvin, who remains very plugged in with his former team, shared a shocking conversation he had with “very significant people.”

Essentially, the people he was speaking with thought the Cowboys could use the franchise tag on Prescott, trade him afterward and then sign Tom Brady.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/dalekeefeweei/status/1225871686425292800?s=21


“I AM TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, AT THE SUPER BOWL IN MIAMI, SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE THAT I HAD CONVERSATIONS (WITH WERE) LEANING IN THAT SAME DIRECTION,” IRVIN SAID. “IT WAS SHOCKING. I HAD A VODKA CRANBERRY IN MY HAND AND WHEN THEY SAID IT TO ME I PUT THE DRINK DOWN AND SAID, ‘LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS.’ I PROMISE YOU, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE, I CAN’T TELL YOU WHO, ABOUT THAT SAME SCENARIO GOING DOWN.”

What’s even more fascinating is that Irvin isn’t the only former Cowboys receiver who has talked about a similar potential scenario. Terrell Owens recently shared his feeling that the Cowboys don’t believe in Prescott and could sign Brady instead.

The Cowboys have repeatedly stated that Prescott is “the man” going forward and that he’s going to land a huge contract extension. But until something actually happens on that front, the rumors will persist.

An early wish list for the Rams 2020 schedule

With Super Bowl LIV in the rearview mirror, the next NFL game that counts could very well be at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, September 10.

Based on recent precedent, the league will aim to release the full slate of games in late April, ideally before the Draft.

Here's an early wish-list for the 2020 Los Angeles Rams.

Prime Time Home Opener

We all expect the Rams to be home Week One, and either a Thursday or Sunday night kickoff should be in order for Stan Kroenke, given the investment he's made in constructing the world's greatest sports and entertainment venue in the Southland.

Hosting Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys makes a lot of sense. But a slight majority of you actually prefer the San Francisco 49ers for the opener.

TNF Early in the Season

If the Rams don't end up playing the NFL's first game of 2020, it would be great to draw a Thursday night assignment as early as possible.

In recent years, L.A. has benefitted from getting that physically and mentally demanding challenge out of the way while the team is relatively fresh.

Last season, it could have been a walk-off, game-winning field goal in Seattle in Week Five. In 2018, the Rams orchestrated the thrilling Week Four triumph over Minnesota. And in Sean McVay's first season, the Rams put 41 points on San Francisco in Week 3 of 2017.

Five Prime Time Assignments

I can't see any reason the Rams wouldn't receive the maximum of five prime time assignments (with the potential to flex into more later in the season).

There's the new stadium, rebranded uniforms, plenty of star power and expectations, and a tremendous schedule littered with opponents from major markets.

Every NFC West contest should be electric. Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, New England, and the New Yorks always make sense from a ratings standpoint.

Seriously, what matchup on the 2020 slate would the country be disappointed to see in prime time:

Washington? New head coach and a young quarterback, with phenom edge rusher Chase Young likely joining them with the second pick in the Draft.

Buffalo? Coming off a trip to the postseason.

Miami? Will almost certainly have a new first-round draft pick behind center.

Buffalo Before it Gets Cold

Speaking of that Bills game, certain members of the media may feel otherwise, but sign me up for September, please. Or October, at the latest.

I agree that snow games are fun to watch… on television.

Mid-Season Mini-Camp in Florida

Conversely, stash me away in Florida for a week, no problem.

In fact, NFL schedulers should do the Rams a solid and set up at least one east coast back-to-back.

With trips to Philadelphia, Washington, Buffalo, Miami, and Tampa Bay on the docket, it would only be sensible to connect a couple of them.

Ideally, the Rams would play the Dolphins and Buccaneers in consecutive weeks, allowing L.A. to stage an in-season mini-camp, as they've done throughout McVay's tenure.

Here's how it's worked the past three years:

2019 – Win in Atlanta, practice in Atlanta, win in London.

2018 – Win vs Seattle, practice at altitude in Colorado Springs, win in Mexico Ci— err, at the Coliseum.

2017 – Win in Jacksonville, practice in Jacksonville, win in London.

Put a bye week on the back end of a 10-day trip to Florida in 2020 and the travel won't feel nearly as grueling as it has in recent seasons.

No International Game

I've loved our trips to London and would really like the opportunity to make up the game we missed in Mexico City in 2018.

But this isn't the year.

Definitely no home games abroad, and even as the road team, it would be great to put the passports away for a season.

Because of the five journeys to the eastern time zone already listed, the Rams will once again be among the NFL leaders in miles traveled. So we wish the International Series well in 2020.

Division-Heavy December

Anticipating that the NFC West will be the best division in the NFL, I'm all for having a schedule backloaded with those games.

It was great to play four West contests in December 2019 (and nearly sweep them). Let's run that back in 2020.

Quarterback Club

Finally, here are a few stray items related to opposing quarterbacks that could make this year's schedule even better.

First, there's no reason for Tom Brady to go down the Brett Favre retirement path, okay? Whenever TB12 is done with his social media teases, let's hope that he and the Patriots come to terms. Because we all need a Patriots-Rams rematch at SoFi Stadium.

Secondly, I thought it would be cool if the Jets could come to town on a USC home weekend so that Sam Darnold has the opportunity to stop by the Coliseum.

And finally, here's hoping the Dolphins select Tua Tagovailoa. Would really enjoy seeing him in person as a rookie.

Alright, I think that's it for now. Unless Dak Prescott wants to hold out for Week One in protest of the franchise tag.

This man broke the news about the new coronavirus before anyone else did, at risk of detention and arrest. He ended up dying to the same virus he was helping combat.

I just wanted to let y'all know because that's one death - of too many - that stuck with me.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...coronavirus-crisis/ar-BBZLZex?ocid=spartandhp

Written by Chris Buckley and Paul Mozur

Step 1 – Restructure high paid player contracts
The first step for the team would be to go after the largest contract. Right now, that means the $36 million cap hit by quarterback Jared Goff‘s current contract. That contract alone consumes over 17 percent of the team’s 2020 allocation. To place this into perspective, Goff’s contract is greater than the combined sum of 40 of the team’s lowest paid players. That’s a tough concept to wrap one’s head around.

Expecting the team to struggle, we had discussed the arduous task of analyzing the team’s highly compensated contracts in a previous article. From that restructuring exercise, we discovered a treasure trove of 2020 salary cap savings for the team available. Of course, math rules apply, so savings for this year are simply pushed out into future years.

But the team simply does not have the ability to avoid the inevitable. Contract restructuring is a must, and needs to happen quickly. By reclassifying salary and bonuses due the players this year, the team can recoup over $54 million. Place that on top of the current available space of $14 million and the Rams are up to $68 million. Oh so close, right? We’re just getting started.

Step 2 – Extend Jalen Ramsey
The Rams traded a boatload of NFL draft picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for the services of cornerback Jalen Ramsey. While Ramsey is not yet due to enter free agency, he remains a top priority for the team this off-season. After all, it’s clear that the Rams did not trade for him to watch him walk away a year later.

So the Rams need to sign him to a new contract. Right now, Spotrac.com estimates the average per year at approximately $16.8 million. Right now, the team has Ramsey at $13.7 million. So that seems like a cap hit, right? Well there is that magic of writing salary cap contracts again.

If the Rams are savvy, the team can get Jalen Ramsey signed to a new contract, and end up reducing his 2020 salary cap hit. How? Let’s examine contract clauses for the NFL salary cap.
To get Ramsey his money now, but lower his 2020 salary cap, the Rams can structure the contract to spread more money to the future. How? Well we know that his average annual amount is $16.8, so over five years, the contract is $94 million. That’s our number. Let’s start with a base salary of $7 million per year, netting him $35 million over five years.

Now we want to get him money up front, so create a $20 million signing bonus paid in 2020. Total contract now is $55 million. The remaining $39 million becomes roster bonuses paid in each of next four seasons: $9 million 2021, $10 million 2022, $10 million 2023, $10 million 2024.

His 2020 cap hit is $7 million, plus $20 million / 5 years or $4 million. Ramsey pockets $27 million this year, and the cost to the Rams is just $11 million for 2020. $2.7 million savings to the salary cap. That’s now $70.7 million free space, and we’re not done just yet.

Step 3 – Cut safety Eric Weddle
Veteran safety Eric Weddle is a fine player, and he certainly helped the LA Rams defense throughout the 2019 season. In fact, Weddle enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in his play, as he certainly helped the Rams defense.

Weddle wasted no time in showing up for the team in a big way. He landed second on the team in tackles with 108, defended 4 passes, and had 1.5 tackles for a loss. That’s the type of debut which oftentimes leads to a contract extension. But that will likely not be the case with the Rams.

Right now the team boasts two young and very good safeties in John Johnson and Taylor Rapp, both projected to start for the team in 2020. That only leaves a backup role for the returning veteran. However, he was signed as the presumed starter for two seasons. Cutting Weddle saves the team an estimated 4,250,524. That’s now $75 million freed salary cap space, and we’re still not done yet.

Step 4 – Trade Rob Havenstein
The LA Rams offensive line took a tumble in 2019. The team projected the loss of veterans Rodger Saffold and John Sullivan, and planned to fill the vacancies with first time starters Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen. While both Noteboom and Allen fell to season ending injuries, neither played well in their debuts. Making matters worse, right tackle Rob Havenstein played poorly as well before his season ended with an injury.

Now Havenstein is returning to an offensive line to join teammates he no longer recognizes. The team will likely line up Bobby Evans, Austin Corbett, Coleman Shelton, David Edwards, and Rob Havenstein as the roster stands today. Yet Havenstein struggled to play well with new teammates, and is coming off an injury this year. The team found promising rookie starters for the offensive line in both Bobby Evans and David Edwards in 2019. The Rams also traded for Austin Corbett, who also proved he can compete as a starter. With Coleman Shelton ripe to pick up a starting role at center, the Rams have a nearly a brand new starting offensive line for 2020.

Only Rob Havenstein is the odd man out. If the Rams successfully trade him, the team saves a substantial $5,400,000 to add back to the 2020 salary cap. And the team may pick up an additional day two 2020 NFL Draft pick as well. While Havenstein could prove to be a steal for his next NFL team, he simply did not play well surrounded by younger players last season. With that history, and coming off an injury, there is little reason to expect him to play significantly better this year.

That pushes the Rams available cap space over $80 million. We’re coming down to the home stretch now.

Step 5 – Trade Malcolm Brown
The Rams have enjoyed the play of running back Malcolm Brown for four seasons. To date, he has played a relief role for the team, carrying the ball four times per game on average. While that has been enough to spell teammate running back Todd Gurley, it is a consistent floor and ceiling for the team. A narrow band of what to expect each year.

This season, the Rams must improve the running game drastically. One option is to play a fullback on some offensive plays. Another option is to expand second year running back Darrell Henderson‘s touches per game. The team could sign a productive veteran free agent like Washington Redskin Chris Thompson. Or the team could even draft a sleeper running back like University of Washington Huskies Salvon Ahmed.

Whatever the course chosen by the Rams, the effect will be to diminish the already very limited role held by Brown in this offense. Trading Brown could net the Rams a day three pick for the 2020 NFL Draft, as well as free up an additional $1,100,000.

The total effect to the Rams salary cap space is to boost it to $81,100,000. That is after extending Jalen Ramsey as well. With that war chest, the Rams would be in perfect position to re-sign key Rams free agents, as well as look at adding some additional talent and depth to the team

Five steps for $81.1 million salary cap space. It’s doable, and it doesn’t cripple the team. In fact, in many ways, it places the team back on track for the Super Bowl.

ESPN Reporter: NFL Owners Discussed a Separate QB Salary Cap

ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler gave us a very interesting tidbit of information on Thursday morning's edition of Get Up. While discussing if Patrick Mahomes should be thinking about giving the Chiefs a discount on his next contract to make it easier for Kansas City to put good players around him, Laura Rutledge brought up the idea of a salary cap for quarterbacks that's entirely separate from a franchise's standard salary cap.

Fowler said that very idea had not only been discussed by NFL owners, but had even been brought to the players in CBA discussions.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/sportsrapport/status/1225424129232384000?s=21


"It's been discussed," said Fowler. "The owners brought it to the players, and said, 'Look, the money's crazy, let's separate it.'"

"I was told there was not a lot of optimism that it would get passed, because it's very complicated, but it has been discussed for this very reason," Fowler finished.

Mahomes' new deal will be absolutely gigantic and will make it very difficult for the Chiefs to retain talent and recover from missed draft picks in free agency. This is a problem that every team with a good-to-great starter other than New England has encountered in recent years; QB salary is so inflated relative to other positions that even only above-average (at best) quarterbacks like Jared Goff receive record deals. But as quarterback salary has gone up, other positional salaries have remained the same, and so has the salary cap.

A QB-specific salary cap would reflect the monetary value of the position without obliterating a team's flexibility in the coming years. While it doesn't seem likely to come to fruition, it's an interesting idea, to say the least.

If money isn't an issue, teams with elite quarterbacks would be at a massive advantage in free agency. As it stands, teams with very good quarterbacks have to sell prospective free agents on the benefits of winning and playing with said quarterback, because the vast majority of the time, the salary cap numbers are too tight to outbid other suitors. But if these teams can offer the opportunity to play with an elite quarterback and present a competitive offer in terms of salary, how many players would say no?

An interesting thought exercise for your morning, even if we probably won't see it become reality.

Russell Wilson Proposes Big Changes to Seahawks Offense

The Seattle Seahawks had the chance to make a serious run to Super Bowl LIV. Unfortunately, the team stalled out against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Round.

Quarterback Russell Wilson saw another chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy vanish and now he wants to make changes to the offense. More specifically, he wants the Seahawks to follow a path similar to that of Kansas City Chiefs.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/dannybkelly/status/1225100318926491648?s=21


"We've always been really good in two minute situations, those end of half [situations], those up-tempo moments," said Wilson during an appearance on NBC Sports Network. "The reality is, the defense gets tired, first thing, and the second thing is that I really know how I want to get after them, how we want to get after them...the freedom of going after them and scoring as many points, that's kind of what the Chiefs do...they score more points than anyone else, and that's the name of the game."

That's easier said than done, but if anyone can come close to replicating the play-style of Patrick Mahomes, it's Wilson.

If the Super Bowl-winning quarterback wants the offense to change, that would mean adjustments to the coaching staff. And, as of this writing, no coaches are being shown the door.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/johnpgilbertnfl/status/1224000335007580160?s=21


When looking at the success of the Chiefs, it starts at the offensive line. For Wilson, his o-line was adequate at best. Now, three of his five starting linemen are free agents, which is far from ideal for the 31-year-old quarterback.

Wilson is obviously frustrated that he still remains a one-time Super Bowl champion, and knows that if the offense has a change in philosophy, he can add more Lombardi Trophies to his mantle.

Daily Dose: Rams free agency and breakout player predictions for 2020

Throughout the offseason, theRams.com will be taking a look around the internet for the top Rams headlines of the day. Here's a look at what's out there for Thursday, February 6 about your Los Angeles Rams.

EYE ON EBUKAM

Late last month, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox was tasked with naming each NFL team's biggest potential breakout player for 2020.

For the Rams, Knox chose outside linebacker Samson Ebukam, given key members of the team's front seven who are pending free agents.

"Entering a contract year, Ebukam will have a chance to be one of L.A.'s most important defenders," Knox wrote.
"The reason? The Rams could be on the verge of losing key defenders in linebacker Cory Littleton, defensive tackle Michael Brockers and edge-rusher Dante Fowler Jr."

Click here to read the rest of Knox's explanation as well as his pick for the other 31 teams.

BLEACHER REPORT'S BOLD FREE AGENCY PREDICTION FOR RAMS

Knox also compiled bold free agency predictions for each of the NFL's 32 teams.

His take for the Rams: signing free agent offensive guard Brandon Scherff.

"Since being drafted by the Washington Redskins in 2015, he has gone on to become one of the league's best interior lineman," Knox wrote. "A three-time Pro Bowler, he would be a phenomenal add."

Click here to read Knox's full breakdown.

WAY TOO EARLY POWER RANKINGS: WHERE DO RAMS LAND?

ESPN asked its NFL Nation reporters to put together a way-too-early edition of 2020 power rankings with a reason for optimism for each team they covered.
The Rams came in at No. 13, and reporter Lindsey Thiry wrote Sean McVay's willingness to adapt as reason for optimism for Los Angeles.

ESPN's full rankings can be viewed here.

I dont know if every team in the NFL is doing the job that the Battlehawks are, but damn, they are making themselves known. They seem to be taking this very serious and finding ways to reach out to the fanbase. @Memento I'm
sure you're seeing this stuff too. It's got me excited. I'm excited to go to the dome and support a franchise again....excited for Sunday...espn

Just saw this posted from his twitter account...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It&#39;s been REAL <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@NFL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Chargers?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@Chargers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Ravens?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@Ravens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RamsNFL?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@RamsNFL</a>! TEAMMATES, COACHES and others I LOVE y&#39;all. We had a GREAT RUN!!!!! ✌✌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BEARDOUT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#BEARDOUT</a> <a href="https://t.co/C3VGwnMCc7">pic.twitter.com/C3VGwnMCc7</a></p>&mdash; Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) <a href=" Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/weddlesbeard/status/1225514620267487233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
">February 6, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With the season over, each year we shift any draft talk to Rams NFL Talk. It’s the dominant topic (the draft) for the next couple of months... so let’s talk about it on the main board.

We will keep mock drafts, in the draft forum.

We’ve found in recent years it’s easier this way. So many topics touch the draft, trades, etc... It feels like NFL talk for this stretch.

Cheers!

Cave salamander remained in same spot for 7 years



A rare type of cave-dwelling salamander known as the olm can live a very long life, typically in Europe, but now researchers say that one salamander didn't budge for 2,569 days.

“They are hanging around, doing almost nothing,” lead scientist Gergely Balázs told The New Scientist.

Balázs and his colleagues at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary came across the amphibian inside a cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Olms can go years without eating, they don't tend to enjoy socializing and other animals don't prey on them, according to The Independent.

The small, sedentary olms tend to move, according to the study, only when they need to find a mate -- which only happens roughly once every 12 years or so throughout their 100-year life span.

The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Zoology on Jan. 28.

STAR LINEBACKER WANTS TO SIGN WITH FALCONS?

If the Atlanta Falcons want to avoid another disastrous season and return to playoff contention, they must upgrade their defense this offseason. Fortunately, one of the top free-agent pass rushers available wants to sign with the Falcons this offseason.

According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline,outside linebacker Dante Fowler wants to head to Atlanta to join Dan Quinn’s defense for the 2020 season. While the 25-year-old is expected to land a sizable contract, he would reportedly sign with the Falcons if their offer is competitive.

Coming off a disappointing season in 2018, Fowler signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams to rebuild his value. The former No. 3 overall pick delivered the best season of his career, racking up 16 quarterback hits, 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Fowler could be the perfect replacement for Vic Beasley, who the Falcons have already announced the will move on from this offseason. While Fowler might eat up Atlanta’s cap space, the chance to add him to this defense is perfect for a team looking to rebound in the 2020 season.