NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest |  |
- Taking a closer look at the deal for Rob Sims
- Could the Rams make a move for Albert Haynesworth?
- Former Bears DE Brown pays the Saints a visit
- Draft 2010: Corners on the Rise
- Cowboys LB Keith Brooking calls out the Eagles offensive playcalling
- Bites on the Bears and others – Sims, Bulger and Olsen
- Titans interested in possibly bringing back Albert Haynesworth?
- Notre Dame QB Clausen a pick for the Jaguars with the #10 spot?
- Thoughts Around The Gab: McNabb Trade Good For Everyone But Eagles
- Carolina looking hard into possible QB draft options
| Taking a closer look at the deal for Rob Sims Posted: 06 Apr 2010 10:41 PM PDT
The Lions completed a trade with the Seattle Seahawks exchanging a 5th round pick for G Rob Sims. Sims is one of the better young guards in the league, but he doesn't fit the Seahawks new zone-blocking scheme. This trade perfectly illustrates why having very specific schemes can make it more difficult for a team to succeed. Sims graded out as the eighth best guard in 2009 on www.profootballfocus.com, yet the Seahawks traded him away for a 5th round pick because he didn't fit a scheme. Sims is a strong pass blocker and an above average run blocker, and best yet, he is only 26 years old. This trade dramatically impacts the Lions' draft strategy on the same day that the St. Louis Rams made a move that impacts theirs. The Rams cut veteran quarterback Marc Bulger today, which is a strong indication that they intend to select Sam Bradford with the first overall pick. The trade for Sims makes it very likely that the Lions will not select an offensive tackle, either Russell Okung or Trent Williams, with the second overall pick. If the Lions did select a tackle, they would move Jeff Backus inside to left guard, however, that is not an option anymore. I think it is very unlikely that the Lions would draft a tackle and get rid of Backus, or relegate him to a backup role with the amount of money he is being paid. The only other scenario I could envision would be if the coaching staff has decided that Cherlius is not going to pan out and they move Backus to right tackle. If I were a betting man, my money would be on Suh or McCoy with the 2nd overall pick. |
| Could the Rams make a move for Albert Haynesworth? Posted: 06 Apr 2010 06:29 PM PDT
The Redskins are not done wheeling and dealing this offseason after trading for Donovan McNabb as they have put gigantic defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and his even larger contract on the block. John Clayton of ESPN name drops the Rams trading Adam Carriker (and I'm assuming some draft compensation) for Haynesworth. If the Rams are able to deal for Haynesworth without giving up any of their top 2 draft picks and they can support his massive contract, I say they should pull the trigger with no hesitation. Carriker and 3.1 or 4.1 for Haynesworth and his contract? Haynesworth's contract makes it prohibitive for him to be traded, because very few teams want to take on that much money for a defensive tackle. Could the Rams trade Carriker straight up for Haynesworth and his contract? Haynesworth would put the Rams defensive line in the upper echelon of the league against the run and would help blitzing linebackers find holes against the pass. Coach Spagnuolo should be able to inspire Haynesworth and put him in a scheme that would allow him to be successful since he was miscast in Washington. Haynesworth contract is in essence a 4 year $48.2 million contract, which if he was traded to the Rams, means he would be under control for 3 more years. That is a good length for a veteran tackle who could wear down with age. |
| Former Bears DE Brown pays the Saints a visit Posted: 06 Apr 2010 05:27 PM PDT
Former Chicago Bear DE Alex Brown is in town visiting with Saints officials today..and the Saints are near the top of Brown's wishlist. The 9 year vet from Florida was cut after the Bears signed DE Julius Peppers to a large contract. For his career, the veteran DE has 373 tackles, 14 forced fumbles and 43.5 sacks. A pass rusher of Brown's caliber is always in demand, especially for a team like the Saints looking to replace former starter Charles Grant. |
| Draft 2010: Corners on the Rise Posted: 06 Apr 2010 03:33 PM PDT
Focusing on the Cornerbacks, we'll take a look at the current front runners in this year's NFL Draft following the Combine and Pro Day's. Who's stock is on the rise? Who's stock is falling? Check out below for the latest news. Ravens Cornerback Status: The team has two potential starters, Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington, both coming off knee injuries and depth at the Cornerback position is a concern. Fabian Washington could be on track for training camp and Webb may not be available until a few games into the season. Recently Jamison Hensley, Baltimoresun.com, reported that the team may need to sign two free agent cornerbacks as a result of the injuries to Webb and Washington. Another option would be to sign a free agent and draft a cornerback. The good news, there is a good crop of Cornerbacks in this year's Draft. Here's a latest look at the top prospects and their status going into the draft:
JOE HADEN, Florida H 5'11", W 193 40 Time:4.45 4.57 Stock: Holding as the top prospect Projection: Round 1 Haden has continued to impress scouts and coaches. There was some drama as he ran a 4.57 in the 40 at the Combine. After Pro Day, he solidified his stock as the number one CB. "Joe Haden ran 4.45 and 4.41 and had a very strong positional workout. He's a first-round talent and should be the first cornerback off the board." – Mike Mayock, NFL Network/NFL.com KYLE WILSON, Boise State H 5'10" , W 190 40 Time 4.42 Stock: + Up Projection: Round 1 With Haden at number one, Wilson is considered the second best CB. He may be off the board by the time the Ravens 25th pick comes around. His stock continues to rise. "A strong performance during Senior Bowl week and a solid NFL Scouting Combine effort helped Boise State CB Kyle Wilson enhance his draft status. He built on the momentum from those workouts with another exceptional outing at the Broncos' pro day on Friday. Wilson (185 pounds) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 and 4.43 seconds, …This workout probably moves him into the first round. All 32 teams had representatives in attendance, and six teams (Ravens, 49ers, Cardinals, Eagles, Bengals and Rams) had defensive back coaches on hand. …" – Gil Brandt, NFL.com DEVIN McCOURTY, Rutgers H 5'11'' W 186 40 Time: 4.34 Stock: + Rising Projection: Round 1-2 In our Ravensgab mock draft, I picked Kyle Wilson, but he may be gone by the time the Ravens pick. McCourty would be a solid pick as well. In a recent USA Today Mock Draft, two of the writers projected the Ravens to select McCourty. "… he performed each drill with flawless execution. His back-pedal, his fluidity in and out of breaks, and with absolutely no wasted motion, McCourty clearly stood out from the rest of the pack. That combined with his impressive interview after his workout, McCourty carried himself like a first-round pick should."—Rob Brewer, www.nfldraftbibe.com "Aside from being a very good corner, he might be the best special-teams player in the whole draft from a return perspective, gunner, jammer, makes tackles…" Mike Mayock, Analyst, NFL.com.
PATRICK ROBINSON, Florida State H 5'11", W 190 40 Time: 4.42 Stock: + Maintaining postion Projection: Round 1-2 Robinson is definately drawing attention from teams. He is maintaing his stock as a solid pick in the draft. "Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson clocked a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash at the Seminoles' Pro Day workout.was attended by San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison and Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, according to NFL.com."–www.nationalfootballpost.com Robinson's workout JEROME MURPHY, South Florida H 6' W,196 40 Time: 4.48 Stock: + Maintaining position Projection: Round 2 to 3 This is a player who could end up being taken in the second round or drop down to the third round. He has the tools, but had an inconsistent senior season. His Pro Day helped his stock. "I like Baltimore," Murphy said. "They showed a lot of interest. I've met with them and I had a real good feeling with them and the Redskins. I like other teams, too, but you get a certain vibe with the Ravens and the Redskins."–Nationalfootballpost.com KAREEM JACKSON, Alabama H 5'11'' W 196 40 Time: 4.49 Stock: Rising Projection: Round 2 Jackson has received mixed reviews. Some suggest he entered the draft too early. However, he had a convincing Combine and good Pro Day. His stock as risen throughout the draft process.
"For some reason people have not caught on to him," McShay (Todd McShay, ESPN) said about Jackson during a conference call with reporters Thursday. "He might be the most underrated player in the entire draft right now."—http://alabama.rivals.com DOMINIQUE FRANKS, Oklahoma H 6', W 192 40 Time: 4.48 Stock: Secured himself as a 2nd rounder. Projection: Round 2 Franks has drawn interest from many teams. He has the tools to compete at the next level. "Oklahoma CB Dominique Franks ran a 4.47 forty-yard dash at the Sooners' Pro Day Tuesday. The time is an improvement from the Combine, where Franks disappointed with unofficial forties of 4.52 and 4.57. Franks' time was the fastest of any player at the Pro Day workout. He measured in at 5?11/194 before the drills."–Usatoday.com, "Dominique Franks ran a 4.47 at his Pro Day. He's a likely second-round pick." –Walterfootball.com BRANDON GHEE, Wake Forest H6' ,W 190 40 Time: 4.34 Stock: Neutral Projection: Round 2-3 Scouts say he is a good corner, but inconsistent play has hurt his stock. It goes to show you– a player can impress at the Combine and Pro Day, but game film is just as important. Does have excellent speed. "He's highly regarded as a coverage player and he has the willingness to play aggressive as well. But he doesn't always grade out well and his stock is fluctuating."—www.cbssports.com CHRIS COOK, Virginia H 6-2, W 212 40 Time 4.46 Stock: Higher Projection: Round 2-3 Cook is a taller cornerback and his stock is on the rise. He may be considered better suited for a saftey. His stock is up becasue he improved his rating throughout the draft process. SYD'QUAN THOMPSON, California H 5'8", W 191 40 Time: 4.6 Stock: Down Projection: Round 4-5 Orginally projected to be a 3rd to 4th round pick. Height is an issue and while he is a good hitter, the scouts have not been impressed enough to put him in the early rounds. Estimations are saying 4th to 5th round. So, stock is down. PERRISH COX, Oklahoma St. H 5'11" W189 40 Time: 4.5 Stock: Down Projection: Round 3 Cox had some off the field issues during his college career. This is a player who's talent has taken a back seat to his character issues. Still, for the ability, skills and potential he would be a great value pick in the 3rd round or later. "Cox tipped the scales at 191-pounds, four less than his combine weight. He completed 12 reps on the bench, same as his combine number. His 40 times ranged as fast as 4.45 seconds with the wind and the 4.57-second area when running into the wind. Those unofficial times represent an improvement from his combine performance. Cox posted times of 6.7 seconds in the three cone as well as 11.62 seconds in the 60 yard shuttle, both solid marks. Cox did not participate in either event at the combine. His short shuttle was 4.22 seconds. Later he looked fluid and effective in position drills with a number of scouts mentioning that Cox looks fit."—www.draftinsider.net |
| Cowboys LB Keith Brooking calls out the Eagles offensive playcalling Posted: 06 Apr 2010 02:32 PM PDT
It's one thing for us as fans to continually call out the poor offensive play calling of the Eagles; it's another thing for a divisional rival to do the same thing. In an interview on a Dallas radio station last week, Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking said the following about the Eagles play calling:
This really shouldn't come as a shocker to anyone. Despite the remark from such a hated foe, it is a bit gratifying. Everyone knows that the Eagles play calling can be very lackluster at times, but it seems that Andy Reid and the boys never take the fans and medias perspective into view. Many times they seem focused on their ways and unwilling to accept failure and make changes. I'm hoping that these remarks help shine some light on the subject. There's no question that the Cowboys will be the NFC East favorite heading into the 2010 season, especially after the way they handled the Eagles in consecutive weeks at the end of the season. If the Eagles want to be able to hang with the 'Boys, there are some obvious changes that need to be made and Keith Brooking took the liberty of point one of the big ones out for them. Personally, I am glad he made these statements. It really is the truth and is the kind of message that you would think the Eagles would take personally and investigate. Maybe you are way too predictable. Do something about it. |
| Bites on the Bears and others – Sims, Bulger and Olsen Posted: 06 Apr 2010 02:29 PM PDT Two days after the one-year anniversary of the Jay Cutler trade, the latest, biggest blockbuster deal of the year went down in the form of McNabb to the Redskins for a 2ndrounder. While the dominoes from that trade are starting to fall around the league, Bear Nation remains fixated on any pre-draft player movement. Here's a rundown of the latest news regarding some potential comings and goings… Seahawks trade G Rob Sims to…the Lions? Some media outlets were reporting the Bears were in the final running for the Seahawks starting guard in '09. But it was the Mo-town Puddy Tats who ended up sending a 5th rounder to SEA for the services of Sims, who started 14 games last year. The Bears pursuit indicates they're interested in upgrading the guard position, so it could be a spot they try to address with their 3rd round pick. Rams release QB Marc Bulger. Lovie recently mentioned that adding a veteran QB to more or less be a tutor for Cutler "wouldn't be a bad thing." And Bulger could be the perfect guy to serve in that role. He knows Martz's offense after chucking the pigskin around following Kurt Warner's departure from the Rams in 2004. If Bulger agrees to hold the clipboard for Cutler rather than pursue other potential starting opportunities (e.g. Arizona), this could be a sweet pickup. Tight end trade chatter. Profootballtalk.com hypothesized that Desmond Clark could be the odd man out in Chicago's TE carousel. Nonsense! If anyone is going to go, I still think it has to be Greg Olsen. Regardless of how much smoke Lovie blows up our hineys, G-reg is not a fit in Martz's offense. And his talents could bring a 2nd round draft pick in return, which the Bears could use to address the glaring hole at free safety. Bears' pre-draft visits and workouts. According to Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune, the Bears have recently worked out the following prospects…
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| Titans interested in possibly bringing back Albert Haynesworth? Posted: 06 Apr 2010 02:22 PM PDT
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| Notre Dame QB Clausen a pick for the Jaguars with the #10 spot? Posted: 06 Apr 2010 12:01 PM PDT
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| Thoughts Around The Gab: McNabb Trade Good For Everyone But Eagles Posted: 06 Apr 2010 11:19 AM PDT
The buzz around the Sport Gab network these past few days, at least on the NFC East related sites – is that the Donovan McNabb trade has been a surprising yet somewhat expected move… insofar as most analysts thought McNabb would be traded this offseason but no one thought Washington would be McNabb's new home. But why not? We covered this issue just last week before the story broke, D.C. was an ideal situation for the rival QB to come in an make a huge splash while upgrading the offense at the same time. Over the coming weeks, we'll be discussing more on what Donny brings to the table in terms of his actual game play — but this is certainly a move that doesn't simply effect the Redskins who happen to be in the NFC East. For one thing, this transition may directly impact the Eagles' ability to finish at the top of the division and shift the order of dominance in the East for years to come. Check out what Mike Burke over at Eagles Gab had to say on the matter:
The emphasis was my addition, because I want to try and unpack what that means for the Redskins, Cowboys, and Giants. No doubt the team will be younger without McNabb, but perhaps what's being sacrificed here is not just McNabb's big arm — it's experience in leading the team to the playoffs by any means necessary. Yes Donovan was inconsistent at the helm, but he led his team to the post season extremely consistently… often directly due to his vision and exectution on the field. Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick can not be expected to just rotate in and have the same kind of success as McNabb had with 1) the deep ball, 2) the finesse screen game, and 3) avoiding the sacks and turning big losses into big gains. The fact is Michael Vick is not 100% yet — and there's no guarantee he can regain the skills that once set him apart in the league. And Kevin Kolb, while he has a steady arm does not have McNabb's massive deep-ball slinging cannon, and Kolb has still shown he telegraphs where the ball is going. Against New Orleans for example (video here), yeah he had 391 yards and two touchdowns but he had 3 interceptions. If you watch him filling in for the much more charismatic McNabb, Kolb looks like he's blindly following the game plan robotically… there's no subtlety, no deception, no vision… and he telegraphs 3 or 4 passes that you could clearly tell could have been picked off, especially the one at the end of the half where the corner jumped the route but didn't come up with the ball — still I've seen much better passes that went the other way to the house to end the half. McNabb knows the veteran tricks that keeps everyone deceived. Like a Brett Farve, he'll masterfully look off the corner or safety and with a slight hesitation — keeping everyone on defense in the dark while he pump fakes a time or two to really sell the fake, then go back to the sideline receiver. If you watch Kolb, there is none of that. No subtlety, no deception, no leading a more complete offense into scoring position…. and later in the game that lack of experience gets him two interceptions and a pick six that sealed the deal for the Saints. As Redskins followers and Jason Campbell observers — we know the drill here ALL TOO WELL. Game plans are great and executing to the plan is essential to win, but when you follow them so tightly like a Scorsese script and start telegraphing your moves, it get's you killed in the end. Speaking of getting killed — the boys over at Cowboys Gab have said nothing on the subject. Maybe they're not fazed because they dominated the Eagles to end the regular season at home and then really drove the dagger in the playoffs with another blow out win. McNabb or not, the Cowboys had the Eagles' number last year.
And while the base over at Giant Gab seems to be excited about the news — thinking this trade make the Eagles easier to beat now, a bit of extra focus needs to now be applied to the Redskins. Here's a quote from site editor Jeremy Fuchs who believes the Cowboys and Giants respectively are now the teams to beat in the East:
As many of you know, I also contribute to Giants Gab regularly — and I love Jeremy and agree with him about the damn Eagles but he's missing the point on the Redskins. They WILL draft Okung and he'll be a major upgrade to the OLine. They WILL acquire more help in the secondary, whether that means drafting another free safety and returning Landry to strong safety, or via free angency (Sharper still available). The Skins running game is poised to be explosive now that Portis, Johnson, and Parker are the 3 headed monster. And McNabb adds instant complete offense leadership and execution…. So why shouldn't the Redskins make the playoffs this year? I think the Eagles have more growing to do now than the Redskins — and so long as the defense continues to play at a high level I don't see any reason why the Redskins couldn't atleast be that Wild Card team. If anything, this one trade makes the NFC East a whole lot more confusing as to who you can pick to win the division, but mark my words — the Redskins now have a legitimate shot to make the playoffs this year even before the 2010 draft has begun. This time around seems different for Washington, yes they are up to their same old "free agency for veterans" initiative… but so far they've built some incredible offensive weaponry depth. In the end, if you're anyone but a fan of the Eagles, you have to LOVE this move. And you have no idea how happy that makes me to say that! |
| Carolina looking hard into possible QB draft options Posted: 06 Apr 2010 10:52 AM PDT
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