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Robert Quinn felt shocked, betrayed by trade to Dolphins
Posted by Mike Foolio on April 4, 2018
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As the Rams shake things up in L.A., adding big-name pieces as they pursue big-time results (on the field and at the cash register), they’ll be forced to make tough decisions about some of the players who were perceived to be key components of the team. This year, defensive end Robert Quinn and linebacker Alec Ogletree — supposed cornerstones of the team’s defense — were abruptly and unceremoniously traded.
Quinn isn’t happy about it. And yet he is.
“It’s like this, this is the first time I’ve been traded,” Quinn told reporters on Wednesday, via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. “You commit yourself to someone and you have your family turn their back on you.”
Quinn added that he was shocked by the news of the deal, even though he seems to welcome the move to Miami.
Per Salguero, Quinn called the move “a breath of fresh air,” adding that he was “suffocating” with the Rams.
“I’m not a West Coast guy, put it that way,” Quinn said.
He’s now an East Coast guy. And, perhaps more importantly, a no-state-income-tax guy. That alone will let him keep 13.3 cents from every dollar he earns.
if I’m Demoff, Snead, McVay, Phillips, et al., I would invite the whole lot of Donald, Cooks, Peters, Suh, Talib, Gurley, Goff, Joyner, Barron, Brockers, Saffold, Havenstein, Brown, and whatever mystery linebacker they may be hoping to acquire to a dinner party along with their agents. I would present a plan of how everyone gets paid by the Rams at a bit of a discount as part of the we not me mentality. Joining the party would be guys like Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, George Lucas, and Warren Buffet. Each player would be shown how the income they may sacrifice in a contract can be surpassed and extended well beyond their playing years through other ventures and connections. It’s a vision of how a perennial Super Bowl team can affect their lives not only as players, but as businessmen. If EVERYONE agrees to take a bit less to stay together...they will have changed the way things are done in the NFL.
It’s a crazy dream I had in 2000 when I hoped the same from Dre Bly, Az Hakim, and London Fletcher. Alas, it never happened and the glory was short lived. But if this is the only year we get, I will take it. Perhaps there will be others to take their places. Maybe Snead will identify players like Johnny Johnson III, Matt Longacre, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp that others undervalue but overperform and we won’t need some of the ones who don’t “buy in” but as Martz used to say, this is a special place and time. While the excitement is hot and next year’s cap is clear...EXTEND EVERYONE we want to keep the next three to five years. Both sides take the chance and make the commitment. Call me naive. A Pollyanna. Unrealistic. I don’t care...it’s my dream and I’m sticking to it.
In my opinion, McVay and Snead have pushed all their chips into the pot and it's Super Bowl or bust. Given that the Rams have only won one Super Bowl, I'd be okay if they won it all this season and had to let some free agents walk after the season.
Management would have to evaluate which core players they'll need to keep in order to re-load for another run at a title but at least we'd have another trophy in the show case.
The addition of Peters, Talib, Suh and now Cooks is a sign that the Rams see this season as one where they can win it all. My only concern is addressing OL depth, and the edge/LB corps. Hopefully there's some hidden talent that can be found in this years second day draft that can fill some of these needs.
I'm on board. Onto the Super Bowl! Of course all the added talent still needs to be cohesive. There's no pride in being a champion on paper. :wow:
I apologize for asking this but I am having a difficult time keeping up with exactly what Draft Picks the Rams actually own at this time. Can someone please give an update? Thanks in advance!!!
Can I assume the Rams will attempt to trade him or could Sean McVay be thinking of ways to utilize him with Cooks, Woods, Kupp and company? I can imagine that Cooks and Austin could provide some spark/fireworks for the Rams offense!
But don’t be misled. It’s just another way of saying that we have a helluva lot of players not under contract. And quite a few of those players are top drawer and are gonna require some very big contracts.
Trust me, that cap space will start to disappear faster than a dropped sno-cone on a hot July sidewalk once the signings begin.
My point? It is just as important as ever for the Rams to be careful about their contract decisions in this cap era. Maybe even more, given the caliber of our upcoming UFA’s. One reason why I think Demoff is worth his weight in gold.
Translation: Just say no to the OBJ and Gronk fantasies. Keep our picks to not only build for our long term future while holding the line on cap management.
Besides, our roster under these coaches is already of SB caliber. Sooooo...
The Ringer’s 2018 NFL Mock Draft, Version 3.0 What the Giants do with the no. 2 pick will determine how the rest of the draft falls into place By Danny Kelly
The Josh Allen–to-Cleveland rumor mill is heating up this week, but it’s still looking like a near-lock that the Browns will take USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the first pick of the NFL draft. At this point, there’s far more uncertainty around what the Giants plan to do with the second pick:
Will new general manager Dave Gettleman trade back (something he never did in Carolina), will he stay where he is and take a quarterback, or will he turn in the card for one of Saquon Barkley, Bradley Chubb, or Quenton Nelson? Only time will tell, but what the Giants do at that spot could change the entire complexion of the first round.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how things could shake out if New York does pick at no. 2—but instead of grabbing Eli Manning’s successor, the Giants go with a blue-chip player at a different position. If they decide not to grab a passer, it’d push the quarterbacks down the draft and could give other QB-needy teams like the Cardinals and Bills a better chance to move up and grab one. That’s what happens here, with two teams trading up into the top 10.
1. Cleveland Browns: QB Sam Darnold, USC
The Browns get the top quarterback in this class. The number of interceptions Darnold threw over the past two seasons (22) is a concern, but with a strong arm, accuracy down the field, and mobility to extend plays, he’s got all the tools to develop into a top-tier starter.
He’ll be just 21 years old when training camp kicks off, and if he starts Week 1, he’d be the youngest quarterback to start in the NFL since the AFL-NFL merger. But with Tyrod Taylor under contract for at least a year, Cleveland will have the opportunity to bring its new face of the franchise along slowly.
2. New York Giants: DE Bradley Chubb, NC State
The Giants have undergone a mini-overhaul to their front-seven over the offseason as part of the switch to new defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s attacking 3-4 scheme, adding linebacker Alec Ogletree and defensive linemen Kareem Martin and Josh Mauro. After trading away one of their top pass rushers in Jason Pierre-Paul, the team needs to add more explosive speed off the edge opposite Olivier Vernon. Chubb’s their guy.
He’s not quite as talented as last year’s top pick, Myles Garrett, but he’s damn good—and he may be a more well-rounded player who can contribute on all three downs from day one. The former NC State star played standing up at times for the Wolfpack, so he shouldn’t have any problem adapting to Bettcher’s scheme, and he’s versatile enough to play on either side of the line.
3. New York Jets (From Colts): QB Josh Rosen, UCLA
The Giants’ decision to take Chubb is good news for the Jets, who end up with their pick of the remaining quarterbacks on the board. Rosen is a smooth, accurate pocket passer they can build around long term. He’s good enough to start right away.
He should get the chance to compete for the job, but after the Jets signed a pair of bridge quarterbacks in Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater, New York has the luxury of giving its new franchise player a year to develop on the bench.
4. Cleveland Browns (From Texans): RB Saquon Barkley, Penn State
The Carlos Hyde contract has a potential out after one year, so there is no barrier to Cleveland taking the top running back—and one of the best players in the draft—at this spot. In picking Barkley, the Browns grab an explosive breakaway threat on the ground and a talented route-runner in the passing game.
By pairing Barkley with Duke Johnson, the Browns could be a matchup nightmare with creative two-back sets. Against lighter nickel and dime defensive looks, Cleveland could run the ball up the gut, and if teams line up in base personnel, it’d be tough to match up with a pair of running backs who can both flex out to the wing to run routes against slower-footed linebackers.
5. Denver Broncos: OG Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
The Broncos could consider a quarterback at this spot, but after signing Case Keenum to a two-year, $36 million deal (which features $25 million in guaranteed cash), GM John Elway may decide that giving his new signal-caller as soft of a landing spot as possible is a more pressing priority.
Nelson would certainly be a start toward that goal: The nasty, physical lineman would not only help give Keenum more time to throw, but would also provide a boost to Denver’s anemic run game.
6. TRADE: Buffalo Bills (From Colts via Jets): QB Josh Allen, Wyoming
With the Giants and Broncos both passing on quarterbacks, the Bills pounce on the opportunity to move up and grab one—and find a willing trade partner in the Colts, who decide to move back again after watching Chubb, Barkley, and Nelson go off the board.
The Bills surrender the 12th and 22nd picks to move up to no. 6 and select the strong-armed Allen (that’s an overpay, per Jimmy Johnson’s draft trade value chart, but it’s the type of “attractive offer” GM Chris Ballard said he’d need in order to trade back again after moving out the third spot last month).
The Wyoming star will need to improve his accuracy at the next level, but he’s got prototypical size and athleticism, and with a cannon for an arm and big hands to grip the football, he’ll be well equipped for the blustery, cold weather in Buffalo.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
No team gave up more passing yards than the Buccaneers last year (260.6 per game), and playing in a division with Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, and Drew Brees makes upgrading the secondary a primary concern for Tampa Bay.
Fitzpatrick would bring versatility and coverage chops to the defense from day one. The former Crimson Tide star can line up all over the middle of the field, whether that’s over the slot receiver, covering deep in the middle of the field, or playing a de facto linebacker role in subpackages.
8. Chicago Bears: DT Vita Vea, Washington
As subscribers to planet theory note, there are only so many human beings on earth who stand 6-foot-4, weigh 347 pounds, and can move like the former Husky. Vea’s an incredibly strong and athletic big man, and it’d be fun to see him play the Justin Smith role in Vic Fangio’s defense, drawing double-teams and pushing the pocket from the defensive end or nose tackle spots, freeing up Leonard Floyd and the team’s other pass rushers off the edge.
9. San Francisco 49ers: DE Harold Landry, Boston College
Landry’s seen his stock rise over the past few weeks after posting outstanding numbers at the combine, most notably a blistering 6.88-second three-cone time that illustrates his explosiveness in the short area.
Landry’s production wasn’t great in 2017 (5.0 sacks, 8.5 tackles-for-loss) as he fought through an ankle injury, but the 49ers are banking on the Boston College star returning to his 2016 form. A healthy Landry posted elite numbers that season (16.5 sacks, 22 tackles-for-loss, and seven forced fumbles) and could be a day-one contributor at the team’s LEO pass-rusherposition.
10. TRADE: Arizona Cardinals (From Raiders): QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Another trade! Arizona’s got Sam Bradford under contract for at least a year, but he’s not the long-term answer for a roster in transition under new head coach Steve Wilks. The teams swap firsts here and the Cardinals give up their second-rounder (no. 47 overall) to leapfrog Miami (which has also shown interest in Mayfield) and take their future franchise signal-caller.
(Again, this an overpay, but the Jimmy Johnson chart doesn’t really apply when quarterbacks are involved). Mayfield’s a dynamic playmaker who posted elite numbers at Oklahoma, and while a lack of height (he’s just a shade over 6-foot) and his experience primarily in a spread system are red flags, his ability to aggressively throw downfield and extend plays while protecting the football (he threw 119 touchdowns and just 21 picks in three years in Norman) give him the chance to turn into a star at the NFL level.
11. Miami Dolphins: LB Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
The Dolphins need more talent on defense, and Edmunds could develop into an elite playmaker at the next level. The Virginia Tech product is big (6-foot-5, 253 pounds), fast (he ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the combine), and versatile; he’s shown potential to line up at multiple spots on the field, both in the middle or on the outside, and he can play the run and the pass.
12. TRADE: Indianapolis Colts (From Bills via Bengals): LB Roquan Smith, Georgia
After trading back twice, the Colts still end up landing an elite talent—and this could be a dream pick for new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, a former college linebacker who cut his teeth coaching the position at both the college and NFL levels. Smith’s an undersized but highly athletic coverage backer in the mold of Bobby Wagner or Deion Jones, the type of every-down playmaker Indy can build its defense around.
13. Washington Redskins: S Derwin James, Florida State
James is just the type of impact-maker that Greg Manusky’s defensive unit needs. The former Seminole is rangy enough to run with backs and tight ends in coverage, is a one-setter against the run (important in a division that features Ezekiel Elliott and Jay Ajayi), and can even feature as a blitzer. He’s an all-around playmaker who will make his presence known from the get-go.
14. Green Bay Packers: CB Denzel Ward, Ohio State
At 5-foot-10, 191 pounds, Ward’s a little shorter than what the Packers typically look for at the cornerback position, but he makes up for that lack of size with explosive speed and elite short-area quickness. After dealing away Damarious Randall, Green Bay needs a guy like Ward who can play in the slot this year, and long-term, he’d replace Tramon Williams on the outside.
15. TRADE: Oakland Raiders (From Cardinals): DE Marcus Davenport, UTSA
Oakland’s trade-back gamble pays off here as the Raiders land one of the highest-upside pass rushers in the draft. Davenport’s raw, but throw him out there along with Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin and he’s bound to get plenty of one-on-one opportunities to get after the quarterback in year one.
16. Baltimore Ravens: LB Rashaan Evans, Alabama
It’s no secret that Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome loves Alabama prospects, and Evans is a natural fit for a Baltimore squad under the control of new defensive coordinator Don Martindale (formerly the team’s linebackers coach). Evans is already being mentored by Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley and has the versatility to line up in the middle, at weakside linebacker, or as a situational blitzer in Martindale’s aggressive scheme.
17. Los Angeles Chargers: DT Maurice Hurst, Michigan
The Chargers already have plenty of speed coming off the edge between Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. But add in Hurst, the most disruptive interior pass rusher in the draft, and they’d field a pass-rushing unit that could take over a game. Hurst’s ability to slice into the pocket from the inside and force quarterbacks to get rid of the ball could help create plenty of turnover opportunities for the team’s talented secondary, too.
18. Seattle Seahawks: OT Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
Germain Ifedi was a liability in pass protection for the Seahawks at right tackle last year (he also led the NFL with 16 penalties), and McGlinchey could provide competition from the get-go. Long term, the Notre Dame product would have the potential to develop as Duane Brown’s eventual replacement on Russell Wilson’s blindside.
19. Dallas Cowboys: WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama
Signing Allen Hurns was a good start, but the Cowboys still need to upgrade quarterback Dak Prescott’s pass-catching crew—especially if the team really plans to cut Dez Bryant. Ridley’s got quick feet, is sudden in and out of his breaks, and can pick up chunks of yards after the catch. He’d provide an immediate boost for the Dallas passing attack.
20. Detroit Lions: CB Josh Jackson, Iowa
The Lions re-signed Nevin Lawson and brought in former Seahawk DeShawn Shead, but neither veteran corner looks like a long-term answer opposite shutdown star Darius Slay. Enter Jackson: The former Hawkeye racked up eight interceptions last year for Iowa and deflected another 18 passes. With Jackson on the outside, Teez Tabor in the slot, and Glover Quin, Tavon Wilson, and/or Quandre Diggs at the safety spots, Detroit could have the makings of a talented secondary unit.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (From Bills): G/C James Daniels, Iowa
The Bengals failed to address their interior line in free agency, but could rectify that by picking Daniels here. The former Iowa standout is the best center in this class and has the versatility to play either guard spot. He’d be a big part of stabilizing a position group that was a liability for Cincy last year.
22. Indianapolis Colts (From Bills via Chiefs): OL Connor Williams, Texas
If Andrew Luck can get back on the field in 2018, protecting him is going to be priority number one. Williams is versatile and technically sound, and could come in and compete at either guard spot or at right tackle for the Colts, giving the team an instant upgrade in depth at three positions. He’s tough and physical, and has the upside to develop into a long-term starter.
23. Los Angeles Rams: LB Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State
The interior line combination of Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh is going to give the Rams’ linebackers the ability to fly around the field in 2018, relatively unfettered by offensive linemen trying to block them. Vander Esch is the perfect candidate to take advantage of that situation:
He’s an instinctive playmaker who racked up 141.0 tackles last year at Boise State (fifth in the country), where he utilized his length and speed—he ran the 40 in 4.65 seconds and the three-cone in 6.88 seconds, and jumped 39.5 inches in the vertical at 6-foot-4 and 256 pounds at the combine—to cover vast swaths of the middle of the field.
24. Carolina Panthers: CB Isaiah Oliver, Colorado
Signing free agent cornerback Ross Cockrell helps, but in a division with Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, and Mike Evans, the Panthers need all the talent they can get in that defensive secondary. Oliver has great length at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, and would bring the versatility to play in both press and off coverage in Carolina’s scheme. He’s raw and needs to be a more physical tackler, but all the tools are there for him to be an early contributor.
25. Tennessee Titans: S Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
The Titans add to an already talent-packed secondary. Harrison could challenge veteran Johnathan Cyprien (who struggled when healthy and missed six games last year) for the starting strong-safety job and could feature in big-nickel or dime packages, plus he’s versatile enough to be the backup to All-Pro free safety Kevin Byard.
At 6-foot-3, 214 pounds, former Crimson Tide standout gives the Titans much-needed depth at the safety position and would give new defensive coordinator Dean Pees plenty of options in the back end.
26. Atlanta Falcons: DT Taven Bryan, Florida
Bryan is raw as a pass rusher and didn’t post eye-popping stats at Florida (just 5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss in three seasons), but he boasts incredible explosiveness in his get-off at the snap. That talent helps him slice through the line and affect the play, and with a little coaching up from Dan Quinn (a former defensive line coach with a reputation for getting the most out of players at that position), he could refine his game and turn into a big-time producer.
27. New Orleans Saints: DT Da’Ron Payne, Alabama
The Saints keep building what looks like a potentially dominant defensive unit. Payne’s a tough, physical mauler on the inside, and thrown onto a line with Cameron Jordan, Sheldon Rankins, and David Onyemata, New Orleans would be equipped to give offensive lines fits in 2018.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville
The Steelers must plan for life after Ben Roethlisberger. The Louisville playmaker and former Heisman winner has experience in a pro-style passing scheme, can attack deep down the field, and is electric as a runner—both on scrambles and designed runs. He’ll have to clean up a few mechanical issues, but Jackson has just as much upside as any other passer in this class.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars: OL Isaiah Wynn, Georgia
The Jags can double down on their identity as a smashmouth team by adding Wynn here. At worst, the former Georgia standout would provide depth at multiple spots along the offensive line in year one—both guard spots, right tackle, and potentially even on the blind side, which is where he played at Georgia—and could challenge both right guard A.J. Cann and right tackle Jermey Parnell for a starting job early on.
30. Minnesota Vikings: OL Billy Price, Ohio State
It’s not easy to find many holes on the talent-rich Vikings roster, but after veteran lineman Joe Berger announced his retirement last month, the interior offensive line moved up toward the top of the list of needs. Price would be a nice fit in Minnesota: He’s versatile, tough, and athletic—and assuming the pectoral injury he suffered at the combine isn’t too serious, he could compete for a starter’s job at either guard spot while providing depth at center behind Pat Elflein.
31. New England Patriots: OT Brian O’Neill, Pitt
Without Nate Solder, who went to the Giants in free agency, the New England offensive line depth is suddenly pretty thin—particularly at tackle. This pick is a bit of a reach, but the Patriots likely can’t wait around until the end of the second round and hope a starting-caliber left tackle prospect falls to them there.
O’Neill needs to add some bulk to his 6-foot-7 frame before he’s ready to make a big impact (he’s still under 300 pounds), but he’s as athletic as they come at the position (he ran a 4.82-second 40-yard dash at the combine) and could be the raw lump of clay that Patriots offensive line guru Dante Scarnecchia molds into the next Solder.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: TE Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State
After losing tight end Trey Burton to free agency and releasing Brent Celek in a cap-savings move, one of the deepest spots on the Eagles roster has quickly turned into a need. Goedert is a dynamic pass-catching threat who could make a big impact for the defending champs right out the gate. He’s got size, speed, and soft hands, and paired with Zach Ertz could give Philly plenty of options in two-tight-end sets.
I am at the age where I look for birthday deals online for a birthday meal (sad). I am blessed that I am married and actually enjoy being with her now and for the last 20 years. My daughter and her family care about us, even though they are far away in a country by the Black Sea. I am 54 years old today, the day after I taught my first college class. My life isn't bad, but the end is near.
Dad died at 67 years
Grandpa died at 65 years
G-Grandpa died at 24 years
GG-Grandpa died at 64 years
GGG-Grandpa died at 48 years
GGGG-Grandpa died at 67 years
My Mom is still alive at 78 years, and her Mom lived to be 93 years. I guess it depends on which side I inherit the right genes for long life, or short life. I remember when it seemed that I would live forever, now me and Dave are worried about Senior deals at Long John Silvers..lol
FOX now wants Joe Buck, Troy Aikman to handle Thursday nights
Posted by Michael David Smith on April 2, 2018
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After trying and failing to hire Peyton Manning, FOX now wants to do on Thursday Night Football what CBS and NBC did previously: Give double duty to the network’s top Sunday crew.
It’s not clear yet whether Buck and Aikman will accept that offer. They’ll obviously want more money for more work, and they might object to the schedule. Buck, in particular, already has a busy schedule in the fall because he handles baseball postseason games for FOX. The network might need to give the pair some Sundays off to avoid burning them out.
FOX made a major five-year investment in Thursday nights and wants to find the right broadcast team. Other potential analysts whose names have surfaced include the recently retired Joe Thomas and Carson Palmer.
The start of the 2018 regular season is still five months away, but before you know it, players will be back on the field. The NFL Draft is just over three weeks away, and shortly after that concludes, rookie minicamps and OTAs will take place across the league.
The CBA allows teams 10 organized team activity sessions, or OTAs. There is no live contact permitted in these practices in order to prevent injury and keep players out of harm’s way. Those sessions commence on May 21 and continue for a few weeks.
Teams with new head coaches – the Raiders, Cardinals, Bears, Lions, Colts, Giants and Titans – are permitted to conduct voluntary veteran minicamps as early as this week. As for the rest of the league, work in the classroom can begin on April 16.
Rookie minicamp hasn’t been announced by the Rams just yet. Teams are permitted to hold one post-NFL Draft rookie minicamp on either the first or second weekend after the draft.
Rams Announce 2018 Offseason Program Dates Myles Simmons
Now that the calendar has turned to April, offseason programs will begin across the NFL. Some teams with new head coaches will begin their programs as soon as this week. The Rams, however, will begin their offseason program on April 16.
The offseason program is comprised of three voluntary phases and one mandatory minicamp. The first phase includes classroom work with coaches and strength and conditioning work on the field. Coaches are not allowed on the field with players for this phase.
In Phase Two, coaches are allowed on the field for drills and instruction, but offense and defense must practice separately. That means there cannot be team drills or any live contact.
Teams are allowed a total of 10 organized team activities — more commonly known as OTAs — in Phase Three. These practices may have 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills, but cannot have any live contact.
And at the end of phase three, returning coaches are allowed one mandatory minicamp.
NFL teams may also hold a rookie development program, which includes one minicamp. Los Angeles’ rookie minicamp date will be announced later.
Below are the dates for the Rams’ 2018 offseason program, which are subject to change:
First day: April 16 OTAs: May 21-22, May 24, May 29-31, June 4-7 Mandatory minicamp: June 12-14
So a memory popped up on my phone today about Todd Gurleys rookie season. I was so pissed when they took him. We had Tre Mason and I was sure he was the answer. Boy was I wrong. On the other side, I really believed Stedman Bailey was the next whoever and would be an absolute stud. Thought he was much better then Austin. But never really developed into that top receiver. Although we all know what held him back for the most part.
So my question to you Ramily, who are the players you:
A) Thought would bust, but ended up being good.
B) Thought would be great and ended up failing to meet expectations.
Ex-Ram Isaiah Pead aiming for Paralympics gold after losing his leg
Posted by Michael David Smith on April 2, 2018
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Isaiah Pead was a second-round draft pick of the Rams who spent five season in the NFL before a severe car accident required him to have his leg amputated in November of 2016. That ended his football career, but it didn’t end his athletic career.
Pead says he’s now in the early stages of learning to sprint with a prosthetic leg, and he’s hoping to be good enough to win a gold medal in the 2020 Paralympics.
“I was talking to my friends and it was like, ‘What’s your goals?'” Pead told TMZ. “If they let me on the track, I’m going for the gold, period.”
Pead won state championships in the 100 meters and 400 meters in high school, so he knows something about running track. He said he was only recently fitted for a leg he can run on and hasn’t completely figured out the dynamics of running as an amputee, but he believes he’ll be ready for big things in two years.
Do Rams’ offseason moves make them a top-3 NFC team? –Video
Are the Rams a Top-3 NFL Team after the off season they have had? The Good Morning Football Crew debate it. 2 out of 3 don’t quite see them at that level yet in a very competitive NFC.
On Draft QBs, Trade Rumors and a New Rule That Might Change Football Forever In this week's column: The truth behind the odd Josh Rosen-Jim Mora situation, the latest on a potential Odell Beckham trade, the next steps on the helmet-lowering rule change and much more By Peter King
Rumors, factoids, league-meetings leftovers and draft niblets 24 days before the start of the NFL draft:
I know the first question I’d ask Josh Rosen in Cleveland this week. The UCLA quarterback travels to Cleveland to meet with Browns brass this week. (He has seven team trips scheduled by mid-April—Browns, Jets, Giants, Cards, Broncos, Bills, Chargers). Cleveland owns the first and fourth picks in the first round and will use one of the picks on a quarterback. You know that Cleveland GM John Dorsey at some point is going to ask Rosen: What’s up with you and your coach at UCLA?
Last week, Jim Mora, fired as Bruins coach last fall, said on NFL Network that he’d take USC quarterback Sam Darnold over Rosen with the first pick in the draft if he were running the Browns. Mora said it was “because of fit” and cited Darnold’s “blue-collar, gritty attitude.” My jaw dropped when I heard that.
And I can tell you the jaws of more than a few NFL people at the meetings in Orlando last week dropped too. Mora did go on to say that if he were the Giants or Jets at two and three in the draft order, he’d have the card with Rosen’s name on it, ready to turn in. But that didn’t get much attention.
Mora coached Rosen for three years. Rosen and Darnold are competing to be the top player picked in this draft. Oh, and Darnold played for UCLA’s archrival. Was Mora trying to slap the free-spirited Rosen with some tough love?
Was Mora taking this TV analyst neutral-party thing very seriously and simply telling the truth as he sees it? Or was Mora trying to help his old quarterback avoid Cleveland and land with the Giants and a quarterback mentor he trusts, Pat Shurmur, at number two?
I spoke with Mora on Sunday, and he understands the tornado his words created. But he stood by his point that Darnold and his don’t-worry, be-happy ethos (my words, not his) would be a better long-haul fit for a Cleveland team that likely will take a while to win.
“I put it in the context of ‘fit,’” Mora told me. He strongly emphasized the word “fit” in our conversation. He said Darnold has “the underdog mentality that I think will fit so well in Cleveland, a franchise that’s really been down.”
Of his own quarterback, Mora said: “Josh, I think, without a doubt, is the number one quarterback in the draft. He’s a franchise-changer. He’s got the ability to have an immediate impact. His arm talent, intelligence, and his ability to see the game and diagnose the game is rare. He’d come to the sidelines after a play and it was uncanny—he could right away say exactly why he made every decision.
“He needs to be challenged intellectually so he doesn’t get bored. He’s a millennial. He wants to know why. Millennials, once they know why, they’re good. Josh has a lot of interests in life. If you can hold his concentration level and focus only on football for a few years, he will set the world on fire. He has so much ability, and he’s a really good kid.”
It sounded like Mora thinks Rosen would be well-served to be pushed by quarterback mentors like Shurmur (Giants) or Jeremy Bates (Jets), and to learn for a year or so from Eli Manning (Giants) or Josh McCown (Jets).
Much of what Mora just said in the last two paragraphs is what he’d tell an NFL GM if he called to ask about Rosen. Curiously, Mora said: “None of them have called, which is interesting.”
There’s time, of course, and Mora figures the calls will come. I’d be surprised if they didn’t, after the hubbub around his NFL Network comments. Rosen, by the way, got an explanatory text from Mora before Mora said his piece on air, but I’m told Rosen still was stunned by what his coach and neighbor said on TV. (Rosen lived in the same L.A. neighborhood as Mora, and he is friendly with Mora’s daughter.)
I have never heard of anything like this, even with the Giants/Jets note following what Mora said first. When Mark Sanchez declared for the draft after the 2008 season at USC, coach Pete Carroll was critical of the decision, saying he thought Sanchez should stay in school. That’s a little different, though, than saying the quarterback of your archrival should be picked above your own guy.
That’s not going to help Rosen’s cause at the top of the draft. It will also be noted by teams that Mora says you need to “hold Rosen’s concentration level.” It’ll be fascinating to see which team takes the plunge with Rosen, and how they process the information they’re hearing out of UCLA.
“One thing I do want teams to know,” Mora said. “It’s desperately important for Josh to be a great player.”
FOD (Friend of Dorsey) thinks Browns will go Allen-Saquon at 1 and 4. What would an April MMQB be without another draft rumor?! This friend of Cleveland GM John Dorsey believes he’ll go Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen over Sam Darnold with the first overall pick, keep the fourth pick, and take Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.
“I would be surprised if he traded down,” FOD told me. “This would be his chance to take his two offensive cornerstones for the next eight or 10 years.” The most interesting thing there? That FOD thinks Dorsey will not trade. I think that’s great. Cleveland’s been very good at trading and stockpiling, and not very good at drafting, in the last few years. I hope Dorsey’s more about the (relatively) sure things instead of Cleveland leading the league in draft picks.
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The next step in the controversial lowering-the-helmet ban rule is a month away. It’s now going to be a penalty for an NFL player to lower his head to initiate helmet-to-opponent contact, and the devil will be in the details on this one. The NFL has seven weeks to write the rule the right way; the league wants it done by the NFL spring meetings beginning 49 days from today, May 21-23 in Atlanta.
About three weeks before then, the NFL will invite some eight or 10 people to New York for a summit meeting—four to six coaches, a couple owners or top club officials, and a two or three players—to get the language of the rule right. The other interesting parts of this new rule:
• Replay. Still to be determined, but it’s highly likely replays of the helmet violations will be handled by VP of officiating Al Riveron in the officiating command center in New York. The league does not want to add the element of delay into the system that would come if the referee in the stadium had to review the play on his tablet.
The likely scenario is if there’s an infraction or ejection, Riveron and his New York crew will review (quickly, the hope is) and inform the referee on site whether the call is upheld or reversed without any sort of coaching challenge.
• Frequency. The league is hesitant to project how many helmet-lowering fouls per game will be called; after instructing teams in the exact rule this offseason, it’ll be up to the coaches to teach it right and the players to live by the rule. But last year there were 2.65 offensive holding infractions walked off per game, and 1.08 defensive pass interference penalties accepted.
The best guess, one league official said, is probably between those numbers, between one and two fouls per game. Ejections? I’ll be surprised if there’s more than a dozen in 2018. “I think we won’t be ejection-happy,” said Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay.
“We’d eject only with the obvious infractions. We will make it clear what the standard for ejection will be when we meet with the teams. We [the Competition Committee members] were actually caught off guard that coaches wanted ejection to be an immediate part of the rule.”
• The big change. One of the major boosters for the new rule was John Madden, who is the league’s co-chair of the Player Safety Advisory Panel and the head of the Coaches Subcommittee of the Competition Committee. “Coach Madden said he thinks this could be the final step to get the helmet out of the run game,” McKay said.
Currently, helmet-to-helmet contact is allowed on running plays, the theory being it’s just too hard in close quarters of running plays to police when players bash helmets. The other area of adjustment will be in open-field collisions. When the NFL studied its 291 documented concussions in 2017, many players were seen lowering their heads to deliver a blow in the open field. That was a factor in making this a rule for 2018.
• Coaching it. “I don’t feel like this is going to be a revolutionary change to the game,” said Saints coach Asshole Face, a member of the Competition Committee. “I’ve got a big note here [to relay to his coaches]—our job is to teach the fundamentals. I learned a lot about teaching during my one-year suspension, coaching my son Conner’s team when he was in sixth grade: eyes up, heads up, wrap up. When we coach taking on blocks, it’s eyes up, heads away. It’ll become our dialog throughout the team.”
• Officiating it. This is the bugaboo. Calling this consistently is going to be very hard. As former officiating VP Mike Pereira said on SiriusXM NFL Radio: “I think it will be impossible to officiate.” That’ll be the biggest thing to watch. Along with the new catch rule, the officials are going to struggle making the helmet call, and they may struggle for years.
I find it ironic that in the wake of the passage of this rule, the majority of players who have spoken out hate it. They think it will change football as we know it. It’s ironic because part of the reason for the rule—maybe the biggest part—is to minimize the kind of blows that could lead to brain issues for players later in life, and here are so many players against what should be good for them.
Ironic, too, that Payton is one of the biggest supporters of the rule. Payton spent lots of time before and during his Bountygate suspension at absolute loggerheads with the league on sanctions. Not now. Even though the final version of the rule is still cloudy, Payton thinks this is a vital change for the next generation of players.
“We owe this to the game,” Payton said. “Ten years from now, people will look at this moment and say, ‘That was a big deal.’”
There’s too much smoke around the Odell Beckham Jr.-to-the-Rams trade story to dismiss it. First it was Giants CEO John Mara saying in Orlando: “I want him to be a Giant. I can’t promise that’s going to happen.” Then it was the Rams doing nothing to debunk the rumors of their interest. Then it was Beckham, according to the New York Daily News, telling Rams players he would like to play there.
Here’s what I think now: The Rams are definitely interested. The price tag—likely two first-round picks plus a contract averaging at least $18 million a year—is daunting and could eventually road-block L.A., but that’s not happening now. If the Giants move Beckham, the Rams will be in the game until the end.
There’s no way Giants coach Pat Shurmur would want Beckham traded; Shurmur took the job in January believing he’d have Beckham as his biggest weapon. Shurmur’s desire isn’t going to be what decides this, but it’s a factor. On the other hand, Rams coach Sean McVay isn’t afraid of taking on the mercurial Beckham.
This isn’t an easy one to decipher. The Giants already have a short fuse with the immature Beckham. He lives in Los Angeles in the offseason and could make it very hard on the Giants and their rookie head coach by not showing up for any of the offseason work, and holding out well into the summer. They may decide he’s not worth the trouble, and take two low first-rounders for him, and save all that cap money they’d have to pay him long-term—realizing full well it’s a deal they could soon regret.
Look at GM Dave Gettleman’s history in Carolina. He had a big veteran star, Josh Norman, about to be a contract-related distraction for the Panthers in 2016. Gettleman’s solution was simply to cut him loose. If you told Gettleman he could get two first-round picks for a huge headache … well, I don’t have to draw you a map.
I’d feel more confident that the Giants would dump Beckham, except for one thing: I covered the Giants in the ’80s, and I remember how Giants scion Wellington Mara, John’s father, overlooked all the headaches the great Lawrence Taylor gave the franchise for years, because of his transcendent talent. I saw Wellington Mara get emotional with Taylor after he played a heroic 1987 game. Mara knew how important Taylor was to his team. John Mara is very much like his father. So there’s that. This one’s a conundrum.
Yes, Beckham is worth two ones. The narrative in some NFL quarters that Beckham is not worth two first-round draft picks in trade—especially two late first-round picks, as would likely be the case if the Rams traded with the Giants.
Beckham was hurt in game four last year, his fourth NFL season. His average season for the first three years—96 catches, 1,374 yards, 12 touchdowns—was historic.
My point about Beckham’s value isn’t that because 12 of the 13 receivers picked in the last three first rounds have been underwhelming the Rams should overpay for Beckham. It’s that recent history says the value of first-round receivers is not good. And if you’re desperate for a receiver, and Beckham, 25, is in the pool, why wouldn’t you consider paying two low first-rounders—as the Rams would have to—in order to make a serious bid for a premier player?
“The Giants are NOT getting rid of OBJ. He will be a New York Giant!”
—ESPN’s Darren Woodson, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.
You sure?
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“I think the quarterback class is a hair overrated.” So says former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, now a Bleacher Reportanalyst. I asked him to rate this class of quarterbacks, in first-round order, and he had some interesting thoughts. His list:
Notable, obviously, is Darnold’s placement. “The most confusing thing to me is that Sam Darnold is definitely the number one or two pick by everyone,” Simms said. “I am not trying to be a jerk to the kid, but the skill set I see on the field doesn’t relate to a can’t-miss prospect. I don’t think there’s anything he does elite physically. He’s toward the bottom as a thrower of the football, and he’s careless with the football.”
Simms on Allen: “He’s got elite arm talent, a [Brett] Favre or [Pat] Mahomes arm. Elite athlete for his size, like Carson Wentz. People talk about his accuracy, but his pass-protection was poor, and he had the worst talent around him of any of these guys.” He likes Jackson, but, as most draft observers say, Jackson is hurting himself by not being available to do the pre-draft things franchise quarterbacks need to be available to do. “But he’s got the biggest upside of anyone in the class,” Simms said.
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THINGS I THINK I THINK
1. I think the NFL, which treated any mention of anthem-related protests like the plague at the league meetings, is going to continue to have issues no matter how thoroughly the discussion of it is swept under the rug.
2. I think it’s only going to get worse if no team signs Colin Kaepernick friend and fellow protester Eric Reid, who is an above-average player with opinions. Let him have them. And let him play.
3. I think I wish Mike Ornstein, a longtime league staple and the most colorful character I’ve met covering this game, the best as he fights an infection stemming from a kidney stone at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He’s had some starry visitors in the past few days—Asshole Face and Isaiah Thomas on Friday. Ornstein was at one point Al Davis’ right-hand man with the Raiders and lately a great friend to the Saints.
4. I think the fight for Jim Kelly goes on—a 12-hour surgery Wednesday in New York to remove his cancerous jaw and lymph nodes, and reconstruct the jaw using one of his femur bones. Three times in four years Kelly has thrown haymakers at this insidious disease. All of western New York, and the rest of the football world, hopes this is the time that doctors got it all.
5. I think, by the way, we’ve got an excellent series of draft preview shows available on Amazon—“The MMQB Draft Preview Show with Pro Football Focus.” I watched the running back show over the weekend, and until seeing it, I thought Saquon Barkley was flawless. He is not, our PFF panelists say. Interesting, too, how much they love Michigan defensive lineman Maurice Hurst, his health issues and all. Really good education here.
6. I think the Marquette King cut by the Raiders was stunning—he’s one of the top five punters in the NFL—until you realize the cash-strapped Raiders can save $2.9 million in cap money this year. I think GM Reggie McKenzie figures, and probably correctly, that of all the moves he could make, cutting the punter and paying a young punter the NFL minimum is the best of some bad alternatives.
7. I think this is the Good NFL Nugget of the Week, from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network: Desperado quarterback Paxton Lynch of the Broncos has enlisted the training help of Tom Brady body guru Alex Guerrero to prepare him for the 2018 season. Smart of Lynch to pull out all the stops to evade the bust label. This season is it for him in Denver.
8. I think it’s not probable but certainly possible to think that the Giants could make two trades before the draft: with the Rams for Odell Beckham Jr., and with Buffalo for the second pick in the draft. Let’s say New York did that. And let’s say New York, in return, got two first-round picks from the Rams and three first-round picks from Buffalo. Three? Three!
For Buffalo to move from 12 to two in this year’s first round, and to get a top quarterback prospect, the Bills, I believe, would have to deal the 12th and 22nd picks this year, plus their first-rounder next year. How interesting would that be? It would give the Giants quantity, and allow them to own the next two first rounds. As you see here:
• In 2018, the Giants would have Buffalo’s 12th and 22nd overall picks, and the Rams’ 23rd. So three picks in the top 23.
• In 2019, the Giants would have their own first-round pick, Buffalo’s first-round pick, and the Rams’ first-round pick.
Obviously, in order for the Giants to even consider doing these deals, they’d have to believe they could eschew a drafted quarterback this year and Eli Manning would give them two more strong years (he’s slipped in recent seasons), and they’d have to have a willing partner in the Bills. Buffalo would have to be willing to denude the top of its next two drafts to get the quarterback it wants. I don’t expect both things to happen, but the Giants could do something historic this year.
9. I think teams should not be afraid of Baker Mayfield.
“I spent a lot of time with both organizations down here; they are competitive as hell with each other, the head coaches are as close of friends and as competitive rivals as you'll find in the NFL. McVay was the tight ends coach under Kyle Shanahan and now is the coach of the year, belle of the ball. Meanwhile Kyle just got his dream quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo and there's a healthy friendship there. They're still friends for sure—I've been with them where they interact and stuff—but boy, they want to beat each other. And the NFL, it's been a couple years since those two franchises have been at the peak of their game. I cannot wait over the next five years to see how it all plays out because the GMs are young, the coaches are young, the quarterbacks are young, and the fan bases are both so hungry for it. I think Rams-Niners could end up being Steelers-Ravens over the next 10 years.
“There was a Week 17 game between the Niners and the Rams and neither one of these guys would say it on the record and neither one of them has said it to me personally. I just know. The Niners gave it to the Rams. [San Francisco 34, Los Angeles 13.] The Rams were putting their second string guys in, they were already looking forward to Atlanta—the Niners rolled up that score and they ended their season five straight wins and they went into the Coliseum and blew out the Rams, and it might have been their backups, but McVay won't forget that. And I love that stuff.”
