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Why Rams legend Isaac Bruce is the most underrated receiver of all time and should be a HOF this year
January 5, 2017 | By:Jake Ellenbogen

http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...ver-of-all-time-and-should-be-a-HOF-this-year

What if I told you that pro football writers don't think a man with 15,208 receiving yards, 91 touchdowns and 1,024 receptions is a Hall of Famer? For Isaac Bruce that's the reality of the situation as he stares at a dwindling chance to get into Canton.

Reverend Ike is the most underrated receiver of all time, period. Am I a die-hard Rams fan, that could be considered a "homer" for saying such things? Yes, but the fact of the matter is that I have a take and I am going to explain to you why not only is Isaac Bruce HOF worthy, but he's the most underrated for his position.

When arguing for Bruce, many fail to mention or even realize the fact that Bruce had a ridiculous 1,781 yards receiving in which at one point during the year he was the all-time single season receiver in yards in only his second season. That however, was before Jerry Rice played his game in the 1995-96 season. I was born during this year, so I didn't have the privilege to watch this magnificent and unprecedented season in person, but right there lies the problem. I seem to appreciate it more than the people who were able to watch it do. Besides the fact Bruce had 1,781 yards -- which is still the fifth most in a single season ever. You also need to bear in mind he did that before the Greatest Show on Turf was ever thought of. He achieved that feat with Chris Miller and Mark Rypien as his QB's no less while Jerry Rice had Steve Young for the majority of the year.

Anyway, it would be downright insane to base such a take off of one season though, so let us dive into the career of Bruce.

AGE 22: 1994: 21 catches, 272 yards, 13.0 ypc, 3 touchdowns (used minimally his rookie year)
AGE 23: 1995: 119 catches, 1781 yards, 15.0 ypc, 13 touchdowns (first season starting)
AGE 24: 1996: 84 catches, 1338 yards, 15.9 ypc, 7 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 25: 1997: 56 catches, 815 yards, 14.6 ypc, 5 touchdowns (missed four games and was on pace for over one thousand yards)
AGE 26: 1998: 32 catches, 457 yards, 14.3 ypc, 1 touchdown (missed 11 games and was on pace for over 1,400 yards)
AGE 27: 1999: 77 catches, 1,165 yards, 15.1 ypc, 12 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 28: 2000: 87 catches, 1,471 yards, 16.9 ypc, 9 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 29: 2001: 64 catches, 1,106 yards, 17.3 ypc, 6 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 30: 2002: 79 catches, 1,075 yards, 13.6 ypc, 7 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 31: 2003: 69 catches, 981 yards, 14.2 ypc, 5 touchdowns (missed one game and was on pace to break 1,000 yards for fifth time in a row)
AGE 32: 2004: 89 catches, 1,292 yards, 14.5 ypc, 6 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 33: 2005: 36 catches, 525 yards, 14.6 ypc, 3 touchdowns (battled injury all year, missed five games and was on pace for over 800 yards)
AGE 34: 2006: 74 catches, 1,098 yards, 14.8 ypc, 3 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 35: 2007: 55 catches, 733 yards, 13.3 ypc, 4 touchdowns (missed two games and was on pace for over 800 yards)
AGE 36: 2008: 61 catches, 835 yards, 13.7 ypc, 7 touchdowns (played all games)
AGE 37: 2009: 21 catches, 264 yards, 12.6 ypc, 0 touchdowns (missed six games)
(16 seasons) CAREER: 1,024 catches, 15,208 yards, 14.9 ypc, 91 touchdowns

He's 30th all-time in all-purpose yards, he led the 1996 season in yards, 13th all-time in career receptions, 26th all-time in touchdowns, fourth all-time in receiving yards. With all that aside this player never received first-team All-Pro honors and only was invited to the Pro Bowl four times out of his 16 seasons in the NFL. That means he had four more seasons he had 1,000-plus yards than he had Pro Bowl appearances. Bruce has always been overlooked, but it's just gotten worse over time. Here's a look at similar players that are considered more deserving than Bruce by writers.

(15 seasons) Terrell Owens: 1,078 catches, 15,934 yards, 14.8 ypc, 153 touchdowns
(11 seasons) Torry Holt: 920 catches, 13,382 yards, 14.5 ypc, 74 touchdowns

Here's a little thing to keep in mind with Owens. Bruce doesn't have anywhere near the amount of touchdowns because he had Torry Holt and Marshall Faulk taking away the pieces of the pie. Had Bruce been the only guy like Owens, Bruce would have had the same amount of touchdowns, but way more yards.

Bruce is quite possibly one of the greatest route runners of all time, he wasn't quite the jump ball guy Torry Holt was, but he could make you pay in the open field. Don't believe me? Just go back and watch the Super Bowl he helped win versus the Tennessee Titans. Obviously, I am not hating on Holt, I love my Rams. I just feel as though people are unfairly penalizing Bruce because he had Holt. It seems stupid to me to say the least. There are analysts out there that don't think Bruce belongs in the Hall because Holt had the "superior career".

Perhaps it's time to stop shaming Bruce when he is arguably more deserving than three WR's in the Hall of Fame right now: Michael Irvin, Tim Brown and Andre Reed. Don't believe me? Here are their stats:

(12 seasons) Michael Irvin: 750 catches, 11,904 yards, 15.9 ypc, 65 touchdowns
(16 seasons) Andre Reed: 951 catches, 13,198 yards, 13.9 ypc, 87 touchdowns
(17 seasons) Tim Brown: 1,094 catches, 14,934 yards, 13.7 ypc, 100 touchdowns

It's kind of sad to be quite honest that Andre Reed went to seven Pro Bowls and Bruce only went to four when Reed only had four 1,000 yard-plus seasons to Bruce's eight. Reed also went to a Pro Bowl in a year he had only 854 yards receiving when Bruce was snubbed from the Pro Bowl in a year he had 1,781 yards receiving. At least Tim Brown is arguable, if you are a person that believes that Reed belongs in the HOF and Bruce doesn't you have no idea what you are talking about. If you think Michael Irvin deserves to be in over Bruce you are just wrong. Irvin was very good, but in one less year Torry Holt had better stats. Clearly Irvin's vote for Canton was all about "America's team" . Irvin finished his career with seven 1,000-plus yard seasons, one less than Bruce and yet he had one more ro Bowl and a First-Team All-Pro selection.

See? There are definitely things to think about with Bruce. He may not be the absolute flashy diva prima donna that T.O. was, but Bruce did everything he needed to do to help the Rams win football games. It's not like the Greatest Show on Turf lasted his whole career or anything either. That dynamic offensive era only arguably lasted from just 1999-2003. Bruce, regardless of how bad the Rams ended up getting later in his career, was still able to put up decent numbers until he turned 37 years old.

In conclusion Bruce has not only done enough for a call to Canton, but he has done enough and has been disrespected enough you can call him the most underrated WR of all time. Bruce deserves to be enshrined in Canton with Kurt Warner no matter what anyone thinks he has earned that right.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...es-five-saints-assistants-including-joe-vitt/

Saints coach Asshole Face is making a major change to his coaching staff.

Payton has fired five assistants: Joe Vitt, Bill Johnson, Greg McMahon, Stan Kwan and James Willis, according to Alex Marvez of Sporting News.

Vitt is the most noteworthy name on that list. He has served as Payton’s assistant head coach since 2006 and was the Saints’ interim head coach in 2012, when Payton was suspended for Bountygate.

Also noteworthy is that Payton clearly thinks it’s time to improve his special teams: McMahon was special teams coordinator and Kwan was assistant special teams coach.

Johnson coached the Saints’ defensive line, and Willis was a linebackers assistant.

This was some country ass shit by Talib. Made me laugh though because Crabtree wearing that chain on the outside of his jersey and pads has been bugging the hell out of me all year too. Check out what Talib has to say about it after the game... LOL

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http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2017/...y-giants-players-may-have-included-drugs.html

Drugs were passed around "like candy" at a Miami yacht party attended by several big-name New York Giants, according to reports, and a video on Instagram may provide some evidence.

Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Victor Cruz and Roger Lewis flew to South Beach after their 19-10 win over Washington on Sunday to party with the likes of Justin Bieber and Johnny Manziel, according to reports. On Monday, they were aboard a yacht owned by singer Trey Songz.

But one video drew major scrutiny after one of the players was heard declining some Adderall.

In one video, Beckham was seen lying shirtless on a boat talking to another man, while a third voice was heard in the background clearly saying, “I can’t take Adderall.”

Sports gossip blog Terez Owens reported that the voice refusing was the rookie Shepard.

“One of the women on the boat was handing out (Adderall) like candy,” the website said, adding that marijuana was also being smoked onboard.

Marijuana and Adderall, a stimulant used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), are banned by the NFL. Additionally, Adderall is considered to be a performance enhancer by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

So far, the NFL has declined comment.

Soon after the videos surfaced, Beckham went on the defensive, downplaying the party and what the players may or may not have done.

“I'm really more focused on the Packers and the Giants, so any of those questions—whenever you all want to sit down and have a little side-to-side, we could do that after the playoffs,” he told reporters at practice on Wednesday.

Critics slammed the players because the Giants (11-5) are traveling to Green Bay this weekend to play the Packers on Sunday in the NFC wild-card game. It's New York's first postseason game since the 2011 season.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning helped to defuse the critiques against his teammates.

"I think as a team we kind of always pride ourselves on being well prepared, so when I saw some of the pictures I was a little disappointed, just because obviously they didn't pack accordingly," Manning deadpanned. "They didn't have any shirts, obviously, all long pants, no shorts, no flip flops or anything. So I am just disappointed on their packing and not being prepared for that situation."

Manning was a little more serious when asked if he was disappointed in the players from a football perspective.

"I don't really get into what guys do on their off days," he said. "It is their off day and they can do what they want and it is about coming here today, being prepared and really getting ready for tomorrow's practice and being able to go out there and perform at a high level."

Giants coach Ben McAdoo told reporters he had no issue with his players blowing off some steam.

“The players were off. I’m not going to talk about players and their off time,” he said. “They showed up (Tuesday) ready to work.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20170104/grading-the-2016-rams-position-by-position

Any agreements? Please comment below. This is KEY in REBUILDING(I don't care what Demoff says) this team for the 2017 season.

QUARTERBACK

Expectations were mild for Case Keenum at the beginning of the season and he didn’t meet them. He made too many mistakes, so opponents didn’t respect him and focused on shutting down the run game. Jared Goff had predictable ups and downs. This isn’t the time to judge him, but if the same issues pop up again in 2017, the Rams might have a significant problem. Both quarterbacks were hurt by dropped passes, penalties and poor protection. GRADE: C-minus

RUNNING BACK

This forever will be the big mystery of 2016: What happened to the Rams’ run game and Todd Gurley? It’s easy – and, to some extent – accurate, to look at the Rams offensive line as the culprit, but Gurley also didn’t help himself. Too many times, Gurley didn’t show enough patience, didn’t make the proper cuts and didn’t show much ability to break tackles. Perhaps with an improved pass game, he will show improvement in 2017, but this is troubling. GRADE: D

RECEIVER/TIGHT END

One big training-camp storyline was, which pass-catcher would step up for the Rams? The answer: none. Kenny Britt topped 1,000 yards largely because he stayed healthy and had decent hands. He played well. The rest of the group was a disaster. Brian Quick came down with a case of the drops in preseason and never recovered. Tavon Austin, the big-play threat, had four touchdowns in 15 games. Tight end Lance Kendricks was reliable but also had drop issues. GRADE: D-minus

OFFENSIVE LINE

This group is the biggest disappointment of the lot. The Rams thought they were solid on the line heading into 2016, but they couldn’t run the ball and allowed sacks by the handful, particularly late in the season. Left tackle Greg Robinson did not make progress in his third season, and the Rams must determine whether Robinson can be the long-term answer at an important position. Interior run-blocking, with guards, also must improve greatly in 2017. GRADE: D-minus

DEFENSIVE LINE

Not surprisingly, this is the team’s bright spot. The Rams did a nice job of utilizing their depth on the line and rotated players effectively, at least until injuries made that difficult late in the season. Aaron Donald is dominant at tackle, and end Robert Quinn is effective when healthy but seems to have increasing problems staying on the field. William Hayes was effective and Dominique Easley proved to be a nice, low-cost, high-ceiling depth player. GRADE: B-plus

LINEBACKER

The Rams went bold at the end of training camp and released Akeem Ayers, their most veteran linebacker. That left Alec Ogletree, in his first season at middle linebacker, converted safety Mark Barron and a handful of rookies. As expected, the linebackers showed great athleticism and were able to cover the field nicely on tackles, but they weren’t particularly disruptive as the Rams spent most of the season playing their nickel package on defense. GRADE: C-plus

DEFENSIVE BACK

The Rams lost two of their four starters in the secondary to free agency during the offseason but thought they had enough depth. They bet incorrectly. Frequently, the Rams did a solid job of stopping an opponent’s No. 1 receiver, but got burned by No. 2 and No. 3 receivers. The Rams were at their best when cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and E.J. Gaines were on the field together, but injuries didn’t allow that to happen very often this season. GRADE: B-minus


SPECIAL TEAMS

The year of the punter was quite a thing to behold. Unfortunately, it will go down as something of a joke, that Johnny Hekker was the Rams’ best player. That diminishes what Hekker did in an amazing season in which he set an NFL record for most punts dropped inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Hekker truly was a field-flipper for the Rams, who needed him. Kicker Greg Zuerlein, his career on the line after a rough 2015, rebounded with a fine season. GRADE: A

TEAM MVP

Double coverage? It didn’t matter. Opponents did everything possible to slow down defensive tackle Aaron Donald, and while his sack numbers dropped because of the extra attention, Donald remained a dominant, disruptive force. Donald’s initial burst at the line of scrimmage is nearly unstoppable, and he’s durable. The Rams must continue to support Donald by surrounding him with quality defensive ends, but on a team full of question marks, Donald is a clear star.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Before his first carry in Los Angeles, Todd Gurley landed a national TV commercial and everything seemed to be lined up. Gurley certainly would get to 1,500 yards, right? Perhaps even close to 2,000? Instead, Gurley regressed from a rookie season in which he had the third-most yards in the NFL and he didn’t even get to 1,000 yards. The Rams, very quickly, need to figure out whether they let down Gurley, with a poor scheme and run-blocking, or whether Gurley has some problems that must be addressed.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

It can’t really be Goff, can it? He wasn’t terrible but also didn’t particularly impress. Same goes for the most of the Rams’ other draft picks. Tight ends Tyler Higbee and Temarrick Hemingway and receivers Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas never made an impact, although Cooper showed flashes as a returner. So give the nod to linebacker Josh Forrest, a sixth-round draft pick who started four games, contributed on special teams and generally did a solid job before a late-season injury.

That's a lot to take in...I didn't mind the secondary play besides the lack of tighter coverages on obvious downs and distance. And now that Greg Williams is gone, that 1980's scheme should be out the door with him...That said we need 2 corners...EJ is finished, Tru isn't worth his contract. LB & nickle-back is different. We need two studs here...
Offense is another cookie...hence the different color...Red for urgent...ahahahahahahah. My QB situation is looking terrible...but lets do it right. First to go is the LT...Greg is about to get someone killed. So is Barnes. I just saw Jonathan Cooper just signed with Dallas. He played a lil center in the senior bowl practices to show he could...Hasn't been the same since his broken leg. Sound familiar??? Our own Jamon Brown is also recovering from a broken leg.. oh boy.. WR's are easy to find...Not gonna spend a bunch of time on that...Serious scouts should be able to find a good wr...I think Cooper & Thomas are depth players, not game changers...not yet...Thomas does have talent...Cooper, meh...no speed but heart...Keep him...I'd keep him over Tavon...but that's me...We need to replace Kenny...TE's...that's a biggie...We need a TE that can block...and has soft hands...but definitely block...And we should cut Lance...hell, any of them that can't block...Running Back...Todd can take his Carl's jr eating ass to a good gym, and get bigger and stronger...needs to watch more film...but once we find some interior linemen, the old Todd, bigger of course, should return...QB
Man....look at the games...and tell me Goff is the QB of the future...I'll try to believe you.

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/...nd-worst-calls-most-penalized-player-and-more


Thankfully for all involved, the NFL avoided this season the type of large-scale drama that plagued its officiating performance in 2015. There were no illegal bats, no running clocks, no inadvertent whistles and no overt discipline (that we noticed, at least). If the biggest controversy is whether a place-kicker was roughed on a field goal attempt, then you've probably had a pretty decent season.

That said, plenty of storylines coursed through the world of NFL rules, officiating and administration in 2016. Some of them will carry into the offseason, and the best are highlighted below in this snazzy regular-season awards column.

Worst call
Let's go with the failure of referee Tony Corrente's crew to notice that a 4-yard pass to New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in Week 15 actually hit the ground, then rolled between Beckham's legs before it was "caught." Back judge Todd Prukop had the same view as the photo below. Yikes.

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With that said, let's note that every year, there is a crew that trouble seems to follow. Jeff Triplette's most definitely qualified in 2016.

Line judge Sarah Thomas inadvertently produced another candidate forphotograph of the year, wherein she appeared to be looking for the football after a fumble while Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson held it above his head right next to her. (NFL senior vice president Dean Blandino called it a "bad visual" but said Thomas saw a Redskins player recover the ball first, before Johnson took it away, and was trying to get players off the pile at the time of the shot.)

Triplette called a penalty against the wrong team in Week 14, and that cost theDetroit Lions 10 yards on an illegal use of hands to the face foul that had been committed by the Chicago Bears. The play was not reviewable.

Triplette's crew might have been the least consistent in its weekly penalty frequency, calling a league-high 35 penalties in a Week 7 game and a league-low four in a game 10 weeks later. Finally, Triplette appeared to have taken most seriously the NFL emphasis on behavior penalties. He accounted for six of the league's 13 ejections this season and called a league-high 12 unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

Best call
Officials are like offensive linemen: They're usually noticed for their mistakes rather than their successes. In this case, we'll recognize the smooth and orderly way that referee Clete Blakeman handled an unusual situation in the Week 12 game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals.

Protecting a 19-12 lead with 11 seconds remaining, the Ravens intentionally held all nine Bengals who were rushing a punt on fourth-and-8 at the 23-yard line. The Ravens' protectors grabbed, tackled and otherwise did everything they could to prevent the Bengals from getting near punter Sam Koch.

Koch caught the snap and stood his ground until the clock expired. Then he ended the play by stepping out of the end zone for a safety, a strategy similar to what the Ravens followed to help secure a victory in Super Bowl XLVII. Blakeman correctly called the holding penalty, but he also recognized that it did not require an untimed down to extend the game. From chaos came order, quickly -- one of the key tasks of any NFL official.

Cam Newton epilogue[/paste:font]
One of the year's prevailing themes was accusations of a double standard on hits to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, beginning with a pounding he absorbed in Week 1 from the Denver Broncos. In Week 8, Newton himself declared a discrepancy and said it was "taking the fun" out of the game for him.

Here's what I can tell you, based on ESPN Stats & Information research: NFL officials called three roughing-the-passer penalties on plays involving Newton this season. Two of them were offset by penalties on the Panthers. They called one unnecessary roughness penalty on a play on which Newton ran out of bounds and was then hit by the Saints' Vonn Bell.

That is three penalties on the 972 snaps Newton took this season.

Could there have been more penalties? Probably. Is Newton clearly and without question discriminated against? I don't know how you could make that argument without knowing exactly how many missed calls there have been on other quarterbacks and accepting that roughing penalties are matters of judgment that vary from referee to referee. What if officials miss the same rate of calls against other quarterbacks, but it's more pronounced for Newton because he is so active outside the pocket? It's worth noting that he ranked third in the NFL, with a contact rate of 20.3 percent.

Some of the plays that generated outrage -- a non-call in Week 15 against the Redskins, for example -- are not nearly as straightforward as they seemed when you read the rule book. I can't dispute that officials have missed calls on plays involving Newton. I just don't know how it can be stated without equivocation and with nothing more than emotion that it happens to Newton more than to other quarterbacks.

Most-penalized player
Washington cornerback Josh Norman was penalized 19 times, including instances that were declined or offset, to lead the NFL field in 2016. Five of those fouls came in a Week 8 tie with the Bengals, after which Norman criticized field judge Brad Freeman. The NFL fined him $25,000 for his remarks.

Norman seemed to make peace with his plight at that point, and he was called for only six additional penalties the remainder of the season. His season tally included six penalties for illegal use of hands, three apiece for pass interference and offsides, and two apiece for unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct and defensive holding.

Runners-up in penalty total were offensive linemen Greg Robinson of the Los Angeles Rams and Mike Remmers in Carolina, each of whom were flagged 15 times.

went a little nuts. He did a little shadow-boxing number on the base of the goal post, then turned around, clapped his hands, looked to the sky and screamed while shaking his arms.

It was enough to earn him a spot on ESPN's "Come On, Man" feature (a referee with personality?). Those of us who live in the Upper Midwest -- Torbert is from Michigan -- would view his performance as steeling oneself for a three-hour exposure to icy elements.

Torbert is a Harvard-educated attorney who, in my one conversation with him last summer, fit the personality he otherwise displays on the field: steady, dignified and soft-spoken. Not so much on that particular Sunday in Chicago. Good for him.

Most confusing moment
You know trouble has arisen when a referee has to flip on his microphone and holler, "The half is not over!"

That's how Walt Anderson tried to restore order after a series of gaffes -- mistakes so obvious that Blandino corrected one of them via Twitter within minutes -- in a Week 9 game in Seattle. It started when Anderson's crew failed to penalize Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman for unnecessary roughness after he hit Bills place-kicker Dan Carpenter. As a result, they forced Carpenter off the field for a play because time had been called to evaluate him for an injury. In the ensuing confusion, Anderson failed to reset the play clock. An ensuing delay penalty cost the Bills 5 yards on a kick Carpenter ultimately missed.

This was the one instance this season in which I thought the NFL might issue Anderson and/or his crew a public discipline, in addition to the downgrade they surely received on their game evaluation. The mistakes were of administration, not judgment, which roughly matched the league's justification for suspending side judge Rob Vernatchi last season, when he failed to notice that the game clock was running during a timeout.

But there was no discipline, which seemed to confirm a theory that former NFL officiating chief Mike Pereira suggested in an interview. The league seems to have resumed its previous methods for handling mistakes, rather than resorting to public embarrassment.

ESPN Patriots reporter Mike Reiss noted, the Patriots are the fifth team in the past 10 years to challenge just one play in a season.

Biggest revelation no one seems to care about
Three times in 12 months, Pereirahas gone on record to accuse NFL referees of circumventing league policy by accepting illicit help from replay officials via their wireless headsets. The league allows discussion between the parties only in cases of official reviews or certain administrative issues. But Pereira said he sees it occur much more often than that. In essence, he is calling out clandestine discussions that arbitrate games in a way that can't be accounted for.

I've noticed very little recognition of this revelation, which the NFL has not commented on, but to me, it is a big deal.

The intent might be noble, and the end result productive, but there seems to be something inherently wrong with the process. As Pereira noted, everyone involved in the game -- players, coaches and fans -- should know how games are being officiated and who is making the decisions. Are the conversations equal and fair to both teams? Is an agenda being followed? These are among the questions raised when stated policies are disregarded.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/05/hekker-named-nfc-special-teams-player-of-the-month/

Hekker named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month
Posted by Zac Jackson on January 5, 2017

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Rams punter Johnny Hekker has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December.

The Rams kept Hekker busy all season, and he kept delivering. Hekker averaged better than 53 yards per punt in two of the season’s final five games and finished the season with an average of 47.8 yards per punt.

He led the NFL with 4,680 total punting yards and a long punt of 78 yards.

The player of the month award is the second for Hekker, who just finished his fifth NFL season. Only Marshall Faulk, who has four, has won more player of the month awards in team history.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ght-nfl-teams-that-need-to-draft-a-qb-in-2017

Like all NFL fans, I'm excited for the start of the postseason. However, the end of the regular season also serves as the unofficial launch of draft season. Twenty teams have seen their 2016 season come to a close, and their attention has shifted to upgrading their rosters via free agency and the draft. Several of those 20 teams will be in the market for a new quarterback.

Here's a look at 8 teams that need to add a signal-caller in the offseason. With free-agent and trade options typically limited at QB, the draft might be their best hope of finding a potential long-term answer under center. I've ranked the teams based on their level of need at the position.

1. Cleveland Browns
First-round position: Nos. 1 and 12
Analysis: The Browns own two first-round selections in the upcoming draft, including the first overall pick. They selected Cody Kessler in the third round last spring and also added Robert Griffin III in free agency, but I don't think that will deter them from adding another QB early in the 2017 draft. Kessler showed some positive signs in his play this fall, but I thought it spoke volumes about their opinion of him when they inserted RG3 into the lineup at the end of the season. Griffin played well in the final game against the Steelers' backups, but I don't view him as the long-term solution at the position.

2. New York Jets
First-round position: No. 6
Analysis: The Jets have a bevy of quarterback options on their roster, but none of them inspire much confidence. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg are each backup-caliber quarterbacks. The Jets could look to bring in a talented veteran like Tony Romo or Jay Cutler, if they become available, but I'd also expect them to do their homework on the top quarterbacks in the draft class.

3. San Francisco 49ers
First-round draft position: No. 2
Analysis: The Niners are in the middle of a massive organizational overhaul, having just relieved GM Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly of their duties. Colin Kaepernick had a decent season while surrounded with very little talent. However, his inconsistency as a passer will always have a limiting effect on the 49ers' offense. They are basically starting from scratch as an organization, and often times that coincides with the arrival of a new quarterback.

4. Chicago Bears
First-round draft position: No. 3
Analysis: The Bears appear to be ready to close the book on the Jay Cutler era in Chicago. Cutler is an immensely gifted quarterback but for whatever reason, the team hasn't enjoyed sustained success under his leadership. Matt Barkley showed some positive signs this year before turning the ball over at an alarming rate to end the year. He should be a solid backup and could briefly bridge the gap while a rookie quarterback is groomed for the position.

5. Buffalo Bills
First-round draft position: No. 10
Analysis: The Bills' decision to sit Tyrod Taylor in the final week of the season tells us all we need to know about their opinion of their quarterback situation. Taylor has put up respectable numbers since arriving in Buffalo, but his inconsistency was a concern. I'm not convinced Buffalo will find an upgrade in this draft class, and I'm pretty sure EJ Manuel isn't the answer, either. Cardale Jones has tremendous upside, but he's a long way from being ready to start in the NFL.

6. Houston Texans
First-round draft position: TBD
Analysis: The Texans' draft position will be determined by playoff results. They thought they solved their quarterback quandary when they signed Brock Osweiler to a lucrative offseason contract. However, Osweiler really struggled in Bill O'Brien's system and was eventually replaced by Tom Savage. While some are high on Savage's physical tools, I haven't seen enough to simply hand him the keys to the future without bringing in some healthy competition.

7. Arizona Cardinals
First-round draft position: No. 13
Analysis: The Cardinals were one of the most disappointing teams this fall. Coming off an appearance in the NFC title game, many in the media expected Arizona to ultimately represent the NFC in the upcoming Super Bowl. Instead, the Cardinals finished the season under .500 (7-8-1). Carson Palmer had a solid season, but there was a dip in his production. If Palmer was 5 years younger, I wouldn't expect the Cardinals to jump into the quarterback market. He's 37 years old, though. I anticipate GM Steve Keim addressing the position early in the 2017 draft.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars
First-round draft position: No. 4
Analysis: The Jaguars were preseason media darlings because of the young talent on their roster. However, the season didn't quite go as planned, and head coach Gus Bradley was dismissed. Quarterback Blake Bortles took a step backward in his development, although he did play well at the end of the season. I don't think GM David Caldwell will look to replace Bortles in the offseason, but I wouldn't be surprised if he used a mid-round pick to bring in some competition.

Who ya got?

1. Dallas 13-3
2. Atlanta 11-5
3. Seattle 10-5-1
4. Green Bay 10-6
5. New York Giants 11-5
6. Detroit Lions 9-7

Who ya got?

1. New England 14-2
2. Kansas City 12-4
3. Pittsburgh 11-5
4. Houston 9-7
5. Oakland 12-4
6. Miami 10-6

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/04/jeff-garcia-wants-to-coach-the-49ers/

Jeff Garcia wants to coach the 49ers
Posted by Mike Florio on January 4, 2017

Getty Images

As the 49ers search for a new coach, one of the team’s former quarterback’s wants a shot at the job. But he’s sufficiently realistic to know he has no chance.

“Let’s be honest with each other. As much as I believe and feel that I am capable of leading a team, people don’t want you to be able to take the shortcut,” Garcia said Wednesday on KNBR, via NBCBayArea.com. “They want you to go through the process — they want you to start as the assistant, they want you to work your way up to the coordinator, they want you to work your way into that head coach position.”

“They” would be, you know, the owners of NFL teams, who believe that it’s important for a coach to have credibility among the players, the staff, the media, and the fan base. That credibility comes from paying dues and learning the craft and developing skills and growing in to the job.

“I tell you what — the 17 years of professional football experience that I have in my backpocket, and the years of growing up around a father who was a head coach and just being around the game — have prepared me to be the leader of a football team,” Garcia said. “And that’s what this team needs — they need a leader of the football team. . . .

They need somebody who is gonna come in and is not gonna take any trash; not gonna take any instability as far as the personality is concerned, and understand that this has to be about the team. It can’t be about your individual success, it can’t be about your individual contract; it’s gotta be about the team.”

On one hand, the 49ers couldn’t do much worse with Garcia than they did with Chip Kelly or Jim Tomsula. On the other hand, it would be a risky move for a team that currently is viewed as one of the most dysfunctional in the league.

With a fine line between thinking outside the box and being effin’ nutty, few would assume that the 49ers have suddenly found the next Bill Walsh in the form of a former quarterback who believes he can do the job.

Ok, I point that question at myself as well. I keep thinking "It can't get any worse," and then I am wrong, year after year. I see these people with Patriots playoff cr@p, Seahawk's stuff, and other recent winning teams, and I am pretty sure a lot of them are recent fans..fair weather fans...They get to enjoy the winning, and I am cursed with loyalty to a team without a winning record in more than a decade.....One year long ago, I considered switching teams, because a team was winning and I lived close to it...I liked it, but my devotion was with the team in LA..WHAT A SUCKER I AM!...lol.......and here we are again, in year one of yet another rebuild of the Rams. Smoke em' if you got 'em....

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ws-the-offensive-play-70-percent-of-the-time/

Bobby Wagner knows the offensive play 70 percent of the time
Posted by Mike Florio on January 4, 2017

Here’s one that, if the guy who said it played for the Patriots, would prompt calls for an independent-in-name investigation.

Appearing on Wednesday’s PFT Live, Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner was asked how often he knows the play that is coming from the offense.

“I would probably say 70 percent of the time,” Wagner said.

So what does he primarily look for when studying the offense before the snap?

“It can really come from anywhere,” Wagner said. “It can come from formation. It can come from what a guy does, where a guy looks. A lot of it you don’t really pick it up until you get on the field, too, because some guys look where they’re going.

Some guys when they’re catching the ball they’ll tighten their gloves. The O-linemen have heavy stances in run verses pass is super light. There’s all types of things that you can find on film that can give you an edge.”

So what’s the weirdest tell Wagner has ever noticed?

“Well, there’s one guy, when he runs the ball his head’s really, really still — doesn’t move whatsoever but then when it’s a pass he’s always, like how he’s looking is like his head is almost going back and forth and back and forth because he needs to know who to block,” Wagner said.

Wagner declined to identify which running back does it, so that the running back won’t change what he does.

To hear more from Wagner’s extended and excellent interview, watch the video or download the PFT Live podcast at iTunes or audioBoom.

Some interesting quotes:
- On Wentz:
"Wentz had a roller-coaster season, but overall, he showed tremendous promise. This was supposed to be a redshirt year for the No. 2 overall pick; instead, he started all 16 games for the Eagles. He played really well at the end of the season, thanks in large part to the return of right tackle Lane Johnson."
- On Tunsil:
"Tunsil played out of position this fall (LG), but he was a main reason for running back Jay Ajayi's breakout season. He has the ability to make rare blocks at the second level because of his athleticism."
Some other nice notes on Jack Conklin, Hunter Henry & Cody Whitehair. Elliot & Prescott went 1 & 2, but kinda expected with that OL.

I just think the Rams should've had the OL fixed before they took a QB #1, and an RB #1 the year before. I like Hav and Rob to some degree, it's possible they thought the OL was fixed, and then something happened this season -- Saffold's & Hav's injuries, GRob still young & raw, and releasing Garrett Reynolds (I think they should've kept him) -- something happened to this OL. If we had last year's OL, I'm positive Gurley would've been right behind Elliot in yards & TD's this season.
Regardless, there was good OL & TE talent in this draft that I think we missed due to taking Goff #1. I really don't think Prescott & Elliot are "all that", given DeMarco Murray's dismal performance after he left the Cowboys. I really hope whoever the Rams get as a coach fixes this OL.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/a...s-who-could-be-in-different-uniforms-in-2017/

A player getting released because his performance doesn't justify his salary is a way of life in the NFL, where contracts aren't fully guaranteed. When a player is released or traded, the remaining proration of the salary components that are treated like signing bonus immediately accelerate into his team's current salary cap.

For example, if a player signs a five-year contract with a $10 million signing bonus, $2 million of his signing bonus counts toward the salary cap for each year of his contract. If he is released after the second year of his contract, the $4 million of signing bonus proration from the last two years of the five-year contract automatically accelerates into the club's current cap, so there is a $6 million cap charge for the player. This cap charge for a player who is no longer on a team's roster is commonly referred to as dead money.

There are, however, two major exceptions to this general rule of bonus proration accelerating. Only the current year's proration counts toward the cap with players released or traded after June 1. The bonus proration in future contract years is delayed until the following season. A team also can release two players each year prior to June 1 (known as a post-June 1 designation) that will be treated under the cap as if they were released after June 1. With a post-June 1 designation, a team is required to carry the player's full cap number until June 2, even though he is no longer on the roster. The player's salary comes off the books at that time unless it is guaranteed.

Here's a look at 10 players who could be in different uniforms next season because of their sizeable contracts.



Tony Romo QB / Dallas Cowboys
2017 salary cap number: $24.7 million
2017 compensation: $14 million
2017 dead money: $19.6 million ($10.7 million with Post-June 1 treatment)
2017 salary cap savings: $5.1 million ($14 million with Post-June 1 treatment)

Playing his entire career with the Cowboys seems like a long shot. Dak Prescott's surprising play while Romo recovered from a compression fracture in his back resulted in the veteran losing the starting job he held for nearly a decade.

Romo leading the Cowboys to a touchdown in his one drive against the Eagles during Sunday's regular season finale, his first real game action since Week 12 in 2015, was a good showcase for teams that might have an interest in trading for him. He would prefer for Dallas to release him so he would be free to choose his next destination. Romo's best chance of getting his wish is through a personal appeal to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, with whom he has a special relationship. This would be beneficial to the Cowboys salary cap-wise because Romo's dead money could be taken in 2017 and 2018 with a post-June 1 designation. The Cowboys might not be able to get more than a mid-round draft pick for Romo, anyway, given his injury history and the fact he turns 37 in April.


Adrian Peterson RB / Minnesota Vikings
2017 salary cap number: $18 million
2017 compensation: $18 million
2017 dead money: None
2017 salary cap savings: $18 Million

He was off to an extremely slow start this past season before tearing the meniscus in his right knee against the Packers in Week 2, forcing him to miss the Vikings' next 11 games. He was ineffective in his quicker-than-expected return in Week 15, rushing for only 22 yards on six carries in a 34-6 loss to the Colts. A groin injury kept Peterson out of the final two games.



The Vikings have an option for 2017 consisting of an $11.75 million base salary, a $6 million roster bonus due on the third day of the 2017 league year (March 11) and a $250,000 workout bonus that must be exercised prior to the last day of the 2016 league year, which is March 9. Peterson, who turns 32 in March, will need to take a drastic pay cut to put his salary in line with the running back market to remain with the Vikings in 2017 and beyond.


Colin Kaepernick QB / San Francisco 49ers
2017 salary cap number: $19,365,753
2017 compensation: $16.9 million
2017 dead money: $2,465,753
2017 salary cap savings: $16.9 million

A divorce between the 49ers and Kaepernick has seemed inevitable since he was given permission to seek a trade in the offseason. Reworking his contract early in the season helped paved the way for Kaepernick to the reclaim the starting job he lost to Blaine Gabbert in 2015.

The final three years of Kaepernick's contract (2018-2020) were eliminated in the renegotiation. Kaepernick also received an option to void his 2017 contract year. This can take place between seven days and two days prior to the start of the 2017 league year, which is March 2 to March 7, and he is expected to void the deal. The firings of Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke makes Kaepernick's return unlikely since the next 49ers regime will probably want to bring in its own quarterback.


Darrelle Revis CB / New York Jets
2017 salary cap number: $15,333,333
2017 compensation: $16 million
2017 dead money: $7 million
2017 salary cap savings: $8,333,333

A trip to Revis Island used to mean a wide receiver essentially was eliminated from the game because of blanket coverage. That's not the case anymore. In fact, receivers enjoyed trips to Revis Island this past season because of the hospitality. The decline in Revis' play was alarming considering he had been the NFL's preeminent shutdown cornerback for several years.



The Jets have been toying with the idea of moving Revis to safety next season, like Charles Woodson and Rod Woodson did in the latter stages of their careers, on a renegotiated deal. It might only be a consideration because $6 million of Revis' 2017 base salary is fully guaranteed. Should the Jets decide to move on before Revis is due a $2 million roster bonus on March 10, part, if not all, of the guarantee would be recouped provided he signs with another team instead of retiring.


Tyrod Taylor QB / Buffalo Bills
2017 salary cap number: $15,913,334
2017 compensation: $27.5 million
2017 dead money: $5,953,334
2017 salary cap savings: $9.96 million

Buffalo benching the QB for the season finale after coach Rex Ryan was fired suggests the option on his contract for an additional five years at $82.5 million (worth up to $101.75 million through salary escalators and incentives) won't be picked up. Taylor's saving grace could be interim coach Anthony Lynn wanting to keep him if he becomes Ryan's full-time successor.

The way Taylor's contract works is his $27.5 million 2017 base salary is guaranteed for injury now. If the option is picked up, Taylor receives a $15.5 million bonus and his 2017 base salary reduces to a fully guaranteed $12 million. Taylor will be $6.5 million better off than if he hadn't signed a contract extension in the preseason and played out his contract with his release. The Bills would get a $3.1 million salary cap credit in 2018 from the 2017 proration of the $15.5 million option bonus. Taylor undergoing possible groin surgery isn't expected to impact a decision on him.


Jay Cutler QB / Chicago Bears
2017 salary cap number: $16 million
2017 compensation: $15 million
2017 dead money: $2 million
2017 salary cap savings: $14 million

Guaranteed money in his contract was the primary reason he remained in Chicago when coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace took over in 2015. The guarantees made trading Cutler virtually impossible and releasing him unpalatable. These concerns no longer exist because there isn't any guaranteed money left on Cutler's contract.



Fox and Pace hitching their wagons to Cutler in 2017 when their jobs could be on the line after a 3-13 season seems remote. It appeared as if Brian Hoyer, who is an impending free agent, had played well enough replacing an injured Cutler that he was likely to remain the starter before being sidelined for the season in late October with a broken left arm.


Jamaal Charles RB / Kansas City Chiefs
2017 salary cap number: $7 million
2017 compensation: $7 million
2017 dead money: None
2017 salary cap savings: $7 million

Charles is no longer instrumental to Kansas City's success. Surprisingly, the Chiefs won 11 straight games in 2015, including the playoffs, with Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West operating in his place after Charles suffered the second ACL tear of his career. Charles was limited to only three games because of his knees before landing on injured reserve.

Ware has taken advantage of the increased workload, rushing for a career high 921 yards in the 2016 regular season. The Chiefs are AFC West champions with minimal contribution from Charles. The nearly identical three-year, $4.2 million deals (worth a maximum of $8.2 million with salary escalators) Ware and West signed in the offseason make the 30-year-old Charles an expensive luxury in Kansas City.


Victor Cruz WR / New York Giants
2017 salary cap number: $9.4 million
2017 compensation: $7.5 million
2017 dead money: $1.9 million
2017 salary cap savings: $7.5 million

Cruz wisely took a substantial pay cut to remain with the Giants following two years of injury woes. He tore the patellar tendon in his right knee six games into the 2014 season and missed the entire 2015 season because of a calf injury.



The 2011 All-Pro has expressed frustration about being an afterthought in the passing game this season. Sterling Shepard, a second-round pick in 2016, taking over the slot wide receiver role Cruz excelled in before the knee injury has forced him to primarily play on the outside. Cruz would like to stay with the Giants, but his comeback season performance (39 catches for 586 yards and one touchdown) may not warrant an opportunity to take another pay cut.


Julius Thomas TE / Jacksonville Jaguars
2017 salary cap number: $8.3 million
2017 compensation: $7.1 million
2017 dead money: $3.6 million
2017 salary cap savings: $4.7 million

Thomas has been a major disappointment since signing a five-year, $46 million contract as a free agent in 2015. He has made $21.7 million during two injury-plagued seasons with the Jaguars in which he has 76 catches for 736 yards and nine touchdowns in only 21 games.

Jacksonville will have to act fast if it decides to part ways with Thomas because $3 million of his $7 million 2017 base salary becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2017 waiver period, which is February 10.


Doug Martin RB / Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2017 salary cap number: $7 million
2017 compensation: $7 million
2017 dead money: None
2017 salary cap savings: $7 Million

Martin's recent four-game suspension for violating the league's performance enhancing drugs policy gives the Buccaneers an out on the five-year, $35.75 million contract he signed in the offseason after finishing second in the NFL in 2015 with 1,402 rushing yards. The five-year contract is worth up to $42,937,500 with salary escalators and incentives and contains $15 million fully guaranteed.



The suspension, which includes the first three regular-season games in 2017, allows Tampa Bay to void Martin's $7 million 2017 base salary guarantee. Martin rushed for a career low 421 yards on a career-worst 2.9 yards per carry while being limited to eight games primarily because of a hamstring injury.

Other potential salary cap casualties

• Browns QB Robert Griffin III: $7.5 million 2017 salary cap savings
• Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart: $4.75 million 2017 salary cap savings
• Jets C Nick Mangold: $9.075 million 2017 salary cap savings
• Broncos OT Russell Okung: $11.3 million 2017 salary cap savings
• Dolphins DE Mario Williams: $8.5 million 2017 salary cap savings

This is from TST but is straight up quotes from some players.

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2017/1...ms-news-links-1-3-exit-interviews-sean-payton

Jamon Brown

Rams guard Jamon Brown wants to see the offensive line and Todd Gurley get on the same page. "A lot of times you could see where it just seemed like we were on different pages. I don't know if that's being coached differently. How it's being conveyed in each room, we don't know. The big thing is we have to get back on the same page, because when we're on the same page, we're pretty damn good."

TJ McDonald

Rams safety TJ McDonald, a pending free agent, was asked if he believes this team can eventually win consistently. "A lot of things need to change."


Brown's quote is weird to me. I know they have position meetings and different coaches but you'd think they'd have game plan meetings with the offense as a whole to make sure they are all on the same page. The thought that each position group is being coached and told what to do completely away from the rest of the offense seems like a poor decision to me. Which would make sense why the entire offense never seemed to be in sync or together on anything.

McDonald's quote shows that changes will need to be very apparent if the front office wants any hope of signing some of our free agents. But that's probably a no brainer.

Congratulations @SierraRam as our 2016 Pick'em Champion!

@DeaconJ and @TK42-RAM finish as runners up, just 1 selection back!

Our 2015 champs were among the finalists too;

@LumberTubs
@PowayRamFan

Thank you for another fun season of Pick'em!!

Kenny Britt - WR - Rams
Breaking Burgundy's Ben Standig reports the Redskins have shown interest in impending free agent Kenny Britt.

CSN Mid-Atlantic's JP Finlay is also hearing the same. Britt is coming off a career season, posting a 68-1,002-5 line as one of the only bright spots for a 4-12 Rams team. It was Britt's first 1,000-yard season of his eight-year career, and he'd reportedly be interested in the Redskins if Kirk Cousins is brought back. DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon are also free agents in Washington. Britt is from New Jersey and would likely be very interested in a return to the East Coast.
Related: Redskins

Source: Breaking Burgundy
Jan 4 - 12:45 PM

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...unces-list-of-15-finalists-for-class-of-2017/

Hall of Fame announces list of 15 finalists for Class of 2017
Posted by Darin Gantt on January 3, 2017, 8:15 PM EST

A strong three-man class of first-time eligibles, and all five men who just missed the cut last year headline the list of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced tonight.

That group will be narrowed down to no more than five modern-era finalists, in voting conducted the day before the Super Bowl.

The first-timers are led by running back LaDainian Tomlinson, defensive end Jason Taylor, and safety Brian Dawkins, who entered an already solid group of candidates.

Last year’s finalists who were reduced to the final 10 but just missed selection in 2016 all return to this year’s ballot: Coach Don Coryell, running back Terrell Davis, tackle Joe Jacoby, safety John Lynch, and quarterback Kurt Warner.

Three of last year’s 15 finalists also return to the room: Wide receiver Terrell Owens, kicker Morten Andersen and guard Alan Faneca.

They will be joined by tackle Tony Boselli, wide receiver Isaac Bruce, cornerback Ty Law and guard Kevin Mawae, who made the final 15 for the first time.

Those modern finalists will be joined on the ballot by senior finalist Kenny Easley and contributors Paul Tagliabue and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who are voted on separately, and need to receive 80 percent of a yes-no vote for induction.

The group of modern-era finalists were selected from a group of 26 semifinalists, with safety Steve Atwater, running back Edgerrin James, wide receiver Hines Ward, running back Roger Craig, tackle Chris Hinton, wide receiver Torry Holt, coach Jimmy Johnson, tackle Mike Kenn, linebacker Clay Matthews, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg and safety Darren Woodson missing the cut this year.

This is pretty funny.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxz9AgozRPw

http://nfltraderumors.co/chiefs-sig...i-nicolas-futures-deals-add-de-david-king-ps/


Chiefs Sign OT Isaiah Battle & LB Dadi Nicolas To Futures Deals, Add DE David King To PS
Nate Bouda 18 mins ago Chiefs, NFL Transactions 0 Comments


The Kansas City Chiefs officially signed OT Isaiah Battle and LB Dadi Nicolas to future/reserve contract on Tuesday and added DL David King to their practice squad.

• The Chiefs also released LB Darnell Sankey to make room for King.

Battle, 23, became the first player taken in a Supplemental Draft since the Browns used a second-round pick on Josh Gordon back in 2012 when the Rams used a 2015 fifth-round pick on him.

He’s been on and off of the Rams’ practice squad since entering the NFL.

Battle played in 27 career games and started 11 contests last season while playing more snaps than any other Clemson player (824).

During his time at Clemson, Battle served a suspension in 2013 for punching a player, and another last season for disciplinary reasons. Battle was also pulled over for speeding in early June and caught with marijuana. He received citations for both incidents but wasn’t charged or arrested in either case.



So much for building Battle up for the Oline next year!