NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Will Prince Provide “Purple Rain” In Minnesota?

At Picks 12 & 13 Stand Two NFC North Rivals Vying For Impact Cornerbacks

• Buffalo Bills, 3rd Overall Pick – Need: QB.  Answer: Cam Newton, Auburn. In order to make up for a deficiency of talent, lack of star power in Buffalo would be to draft the solution at the most important position in the game.  Cam Newton is easily the most skilled QB, and player, in this year’s Draft.  He will likely be available at pick #3; you can’t pass up your future.  The days of Jim Kelly and the 20th century are over.  The Bills haven’t reached the postseason since the 1999 season,  haven’t hosted a playoff game since 1996, and haven’t won a game beyond the regular season since 1995.  It’s now time to pair up your 21st century RB sensation C.J. Spiller with a backfield partner with similar explosion and play making ability.  Don’t pull an “Atlanta Hawks” in the 2005 NBA Draft and pass up a major need (Point Guard=Quarterback) at the top of the board by playing it safe and choosing a “Marvin Williams” (Nick Fairley, Marcell Dareus) at the sacrifice of a “Chris Paul” or “Deron Williams” (Cam Newton).  Don’t trade down, either.  Just pick Cam.
• San Francisco 49ers, 7th Overall Pick – Need: WR.  Answer: Julio Jones, Alabama. With new coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm you have to think he will go offense.  Julio Jones will add some much-needed punch to a punch-less 49ers offense, which was lacking punch more often that not last season.  With A.J. Green likely already selected, SF would do themselves a favor by upgrading the offense.  Jones is a talent that would be hard to pass up and is a player who is fit to elevate his game at the next level.  Another need, a linebacker next to Patrick Willis in the 3-4 defense, will be addressed later in the Draft.  The only option that high to support Willis at LB would be Von Miller (Akeem Ayers is not Top-10 material), but he will be off the board just like Green.  Take Jones, give your starting QB a supporting cast he can not blame.  Why go fishing for a guppy like Vincent Jackson in the free agent waters, when you can pick a standout pass catcher from the SEC.
• Tennessee Titans, 8th Overall Pick – Need: QB.  Answer: Jake Locker, Washington.

Click HERE to read the rest.

Another Monday, another edition of T and M. I hope your weekend was fun. Now, let's talk Giants.

-I think Barry Cofield is a goner. I'm not sure about Kevin Boss. I'm leaning towards saying the Giants keep Bradshaw, but haven't fully decided. Kiwanuka, it all depends on his medicals. Which is something I'm not sure about.

-Of course, if the CBA goes crazy, then everything goes out the window. This assumes a CBA is signed before March 4th.

-If it is signed, I would love Chad Greenway, who would solve our strongisde 'backer problems. Will they get him? Don't know.

-Back to the lockout. I still can't imagine a scenario where it actually happens. Where week 1 comes around and there is no football. Maybe it won't get done by March 4th. But, I think the NFL realizes how important it is, and how much money stands to be lost if there is no deal, and it will come to its senses.

-But, that's based on logic and reason. And logic and reason can go out the door in these situations. I have absolutely no idea what will happen. I've heard a lot of things from a lot of people. But no one is sure. From some of the people I've talked to, here's what I've gathered:

• Half the owners are on Team Jerry Jones, half are on Team Daniel Synder
• Those positions aren't entirely clear. No one really knows what Jones and Snyder really want
• Revenue sharing is at the heart of this. The players want at least a 50-50 split
• They aren't going to get that
• I believe it's 75-25 now, but don't quote me on that.
• I've heard a compromise of 60-40, 65-35, but I'd be shocked if it's anything other that 70-30
• Owners want 18 games. And why not? More money, more revenue. I've heard 18 games with two preseason games
• I've heard 18 games with six preseason games
• The six preseason games would feature either two or four games featuring players that are on the bubble. That would actually make for interesting television.
• Ticket prices may be reduced for those games
• I've heard a "soft cap" being floated around. The NBA has one. It basically means that, under certain circumstances, like keeping a popular hometown player, you can exceed the cap. Good explanation of it here

-But all of that is hearsay, and I think it changes a lot daily. I'm writing this Sunday night. It could change by the time it posts Monday morning. So, it's hard to say. I think common sense is the way the deal should be made. Increased benefits for retired players. Stay with the current revenue sharing plan (or, increase it for the players a bit). 16 game schedule.

-But, again, I just don't know, and I don't think anyone truly knows. People say, "Oh, it will get done". But, I'm really not sure.

-If it's not done by training camp, I'll get worried. Because then the season would have to be delayed. If it gets delayed, it could easily get locked out.

-And no one wants that.

-Music interlude: I created a killer playlist on iTunes. Classic stuff. Eagles, Clapton, Skynard and more. Great guitar stuff. If I knew how to share a playlist, I would. But, alas, I do not.

-I keep thinking that the Giants will not draft a college defensive end and make him into a linebacker, but then I remember: Mathias Kiwanuka, Clint Sintim, Adrian Tracy. Some people like chocolate. The Giants like converting undersized defensive ends into strongside linebackers. Hey, whatever floats your boat.

-I wonder, though, if Kiwi comes back, healthy, will the Giants try him out at linebacker again. He wasn't terrible. He was good actually. With JPP showing a ton of promise, you could put Kiwi there and maybe not worry about the position.

Click HERE to read the rest

The good news keeps coming in on the CBA front for the NFL, as Steelers player rep Charlie Batch did give the media some comments after meetings on Monday, and they were mostly positive.

Today Batch attended meetings, which was the fourth day in a row of negotiations between the NFL and the players' union. "Things are going well," said Batch, a member of the NFL Players Association executive committee. "We'll see how things progress over the coming days."

Batch and two other current players, Browns LB Scott Fujita and Jets fullback Tony Richardson bailed Monday after about six hours after the session began at the office of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. That U.S. government agency's director, George Cohen, has been mediating the current round of talks.

The league and union agreed to try mediation after months of infrequent bargaining. The current labor deal expires at the end of the day March 3rd. The union has said it believes team owners want to lock out the players as soon as the next day, which could threaten the 2011 season.

Today though, things again seemed to be heading in the right direction. "Any time you talk," Batch said, "you have to feel better."

Most members of both negotiating teams still were in the building when he left.

The NFL's group began arriving at 8 a.m. Monday, and Commissioner Roger Goodell walked in alone shortly after 9. The NFL's group included general counsel and lead labor negotiator Jeff Pash and outside lawyer Bob Batterman.

Batterman represented the NHL when it lost its entire 2004-05 season to a lockout.

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith got to Cohen's office at about 11 a.m., entering with Fujita. Former players Pete Kendall and one-time Steeler Sean Morey also were part of the union contingent Monday, along with lawyers Richard Berthelsen and Jeffrey Kessler.

"We are working hard," Pash said Sunday, "and we're following the director's playbook, and we'll see what we come up with."

Could the Saints be back in the NFL Kickoff game in 2011? It’s a game that is reserved for the Super Bowl champs, which means the Green Bay Packers will host a team at Lambeau Field on Thursday, September 8th.

There’s some that think that Drew Brees and the Saints will be the competition for the Packers that night, setting up a classic QB vs QB matchup between Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

If the league can get their CBA issues settled, and they do in fact choose the Saints to take on the Packers, it will be the third time in five seasons they would have played in the leagues opener.

They lost to the Colts badly back in the opener of the 2007 season, losing 41-10 on a night that will be remembered for Jason David being burned by Peyton Manning and the Colts for a couple long TD’s.

Last year as the Super Bowl champs, the Saints won their opener in the SuperDome, winning an NFC Title game rematch with the Minnesota Vikings by the score of 14-9.

The Packers other home opponents for 2011 include the Chicago Bears, St. Louis, Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Denver and Oakland. It would have to come down to either the Saints or Bears, and here’s a vote that the Saints get the nod.

1. Quarterback: The Cardinals need a replacement for Derek Anderson and believe John Skelton, a rookie last year, is not quite ready. It’s not likely they will use the fifth overall pick on a quarterback, however.

2. Outside linebacker: Starters Joey Porter and Clark Haggans will be 34 when next season starts, and there are few young players on the roster. Texas A&M’s Von Miller would be hard to pass up at No. 5.

3. Offensive tackle: Levi Brown, the fifth overall pick in 2007, has been a disappointment and plays better on the right side than they left.

After delaying the surgery due to a fever, linebacker James Harrison today underwent back surgery. Coach Mike Tomlin said the surgery was a success, and that Harrison is expected to make a full recovery.

Per the report, a piece of herniated disc was removed from a nerve.

“Everything went great,” agent Bill Parise told the Post-Gazette. “The consensus was no one could figure out how he could play through the season. It was significant but textbook. The surgery went exactly as they wanted it to. James’ recovery should be complete.”

Last season Harrison put up 100 total tackles, 11 sacks, and two picks with six forced fumbles. He made plenty of headlines after the NFL laid down over $100,000 in fines on what the NFL deemed illegal hits.

The Vikings on Monday passed over wide out Sidney Rice and instead used their franchise tag to retain outside linebacker Chad Greenway. The teams 2010 leading tackler was set to be a free agent this offseason.

"Chad's an important part of our team and his play speaks for itself. He's productive and has continued to improve each year he has been in the NFL," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said in a statement.

The Vikings did not use an “exclusive” tag on Greenway, so other teams will be able to bid on him. However, the Vikings would have the choice of matching any offer for Greenway or receiving two first-round picks as compensation.

Last season the 28-year-old had 144 tackles last season and has led the team in tackles the last three seasons. Greenway has been with the Vikings for five years and has been a starter for four of those seasons.

The franchise tag is expected be around $10 million for linebackers.

Being a Bengals fan makes you tough.  You get salty from the experience.  Watching the kind of tripe we do on Sundays gives you the kind of resiliency Timex would admire.  We take our likings and keep on ticking.

Secondly, you get numb to ridicule. You learn to withstand a constant barrage of mocking, contempt and scoffing. It's the kind of daily teasing that would send your average Steeler fan into a raging tri-state killing spree, but it becomes water off a ducks back for us.

Thirdly, and most importantly, you get creative in your abilities to see the theoretical light at the end of the tunnel.  Common sense and basic physics may be as constant as the northern star, but you learn to explain them away in your mind in an effort to avoid what you know but don't want to believe:  Your team has no idea what they are doing.  This third skill allows us to play out endless scenarios and envision hypothetical outside-the-box thinking that doesn't really happen.  It allows us to speculate on what might be the mystical "master plan" that will soon prove that all of this nonsense and stupidity was actually a series of brilliant and cunning maneuvers.

Alas, like many of you, I'm losing that third trait in a hurry.

Whether it's old age, experience, or simple cynicism, I'm seeing more and more what this franchise truly is:  Broken beyond repair.  While the Bengals have been a laughingstock for decades now, this is the lowest point of all.

This is the winter of our discontent.

A once proud fan base is leaving in droves.  Season ticket renewals are down and fan anger has reached a fever pitch but nothing of substance changes. The band plays on.

First there was that ridiculous staring contest between Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis, with Lewis eventually bowing to his puppet master and showing us all how inept they both were with that joke of a press conference.

Next the franchise quarterback; the man who has one of the 32 highest-paying spots in the NFL, demanded to be given his leave or he'd quit outright.  The anti-diva pulled a diva move and the magnitude of this doomsday scenario has yet to be fully explored in this space or any other because in Cincinnati the surreal is normal. Can you imagine Peyton Manning or Tom Brady demanding a trade and threatening retirement?  Drew Brees?  Philip Rivers? Ben Roethlisberger? That would be utterly bizarre.  Here, it's just the latest chapter in the thick volumes of team follies.

Then there was the staff coaching—and losing—the Senior Bowl (again), and looking bad doing it.  There's the ongoing uproar over the stadium lease, Chad Ochocinco continually acting a fool, and T.O. basically calling the coaching staff incompetent and unqualified. "Offensively," Owens said, "we really didn't have the coaching that we really needed to muster what we had on the offensive side of the ball."

Click HERE to read the rest

Packers team leader Charles Woodson may be taking a role in trying to get superstar free agent CB Nnamdi Asomugha to become a Packer in 2011.

The veteran CB spoke about Asomugha to Jason Wilde at ESPN, who has never played with anyone but the Raiders, but seems to be on the verge of leaving and going to the next best fit.

Woodson may want Asomugha, but knows that it’s going to be a tough fit for the Pack with some sold young CB’s already on the roster.

“I’m not doing any recruiting. We’ve texted a few times about winning a Super Bowl. Nothing really about his future I don’t know what’s going on about him and Oakland or anything else. When I look at our team and I look at young Sam and Tramon, (I think), ‘Where’s he going to fit? How is that possibly going to work out?’ I think that would be the first question you have to ask.”

And one that Asomugha will know all about going in before he inks with a team like the Super Bowl champs.