Sports

[teganslaw]

It's a new month, so I started the March thread.

Frank Gore will not be with the Colts this year; he's becoming a free agent.  I'm not surprised because Ballard has mentioned that they're going younger, but Gore will be missed. He was a presence in the locker room, and the other players looked up to him. I haven't heard that he's retiring, so maybe he'll go to another team. Whatever he does, I wish him well. He's an all around good person.

Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb have impressed at the combine, with the bench reps.   Barkley said that being drafted by the Browns would be "awesome." Maybe it's the idea of being in the NFL because I don't know of anyone else who called the Browns "awesome."

Defensive player Billy Price already got hurt lifting weights. I don't know how serious the injury is. That's gonna hurt his draft chances.

[gardenman]

A lot of trusted vets get cut this time of year. Their contracts tend  to be pricy so teams let them go. Players tend to start out relatively low paid, then get a big contract, then get cut towards the end of the big contract, and if they don't retire, get another relatively low cost contract. You could build a pretty solid team from guys who get cut this time of year. Some team will likely get a bargain picking up one of those guys. The Eagles did it last year with Legarrette Blount.

The problem with the combine is I come away wanting to draft thirty guys and we only get one first round pick. It's like being in a store filled with stuff you want, but being told you can only get one thing.

[yellowBeetle]

RB Barkley is really impressive. Heard the commentators at the Combine speculating how Cleveland could go with him as the #1 pick. And if they passed, then the Giants could easily pick him. They were saying in regard to the Giants that if the consensus is that Eli will be viable for a few more years, then why not give him Barkley...

Have to admit that it makes sense for either Cleveland or New York to snatch up Barkley...he looks positively amazing.

(On a totally different note....just a word of warning to anyone in the path of this Nor-easter! These wind gusts are unbelievable! I was rolling our large, tall, empty but still heavy trashcan up the driveway a few hours ago to put it back into the garage and a huge gust of wind caught the attached lid and threw it backwards full speed into the right side of my head! (I must have heard the wind just before and turned my head to the left.) The wind gust knocked the can over ...and I lost my balance but luckily fell into the can which broke my fall! Called my husband at work and told him about my "excitement," lol. But just be very careful out there...these gusts are ferocious!)

[gardenman]

Saquon Barkley is the real deal. I still think the Browns and Giants take a QB, then the Colts will either trade down or take the defensive end Bradley Chubb. I think the Browns will either trade down or take Chubb if the Colts don't take him. I've got three quarterbacks going in those first four picks and it could be four quarterbacks in the first four. Barkley is special, but there are a lot of good running backs and you can get a really good guy later. 

The league values certain positions more than others. Quarterback is very highly valued. A pass rushing defensive end is next, followed by an offensive tackle. Running backs aren't generally that highly valued by teams. Now a guy like Barkley is special, but if you don't have a quarterback or offensive line, his value decreases a ton. When the defensive ends take the field at the combine they'll steal some of the thunder from Barkley and then the quarterbacks will steal even more. I'm pretty sure those first four picks will be three quarterbacks and a defensive end. From five on things get interesting. Barkley will go in the top ten, but I don't know where in the top ten. He was the star today, but each day at the combine you get a new star.

[gardenman]

It's quarterbacks and wide receivers this morning at the combine. Expect lots of hype about them to dominate the day.

Interestingly enough, the Eagles used one of their sixty official interviews for QB Lamar Jackson from Louisville. He could drop down to their neighborhood (pick 32) and the kid is talented. I don't really see the Eagles picking him, but if he's there at 32 you'd have to think about it.

[gardenman]

It looks like another trade has gone down. The Rams are trading Robert Quinn to the Dolphins for a mid-round pick and a swap of late picks. That bolsters the Dolphins defensive front and weakens the Rams a bit. Kind of an interesting move for the Rams. They already have something like $57 million in cap space so they don't need cap relief. There aren't a lot of blue chip defensive ends in the draft or free agency to replace Quinn. I'm guessing this was a move to change the culture in LA. Robert Quinn apparently wasn't a good fit for the new culture they want in LA, so he's gone.

[Spurt]

Well it looks like Kirk has narrowed his choice of teams down to 4---no surprises....

Broncos, Cardinals (Larry Fitzgerald is trying to recruit him), Jets and Vikings..POOR CLEVELAND!... 

 I didnt think the Cardinals would be in mix but I guess the power of Larry Fitzgerald and a warm climate....  Kirk ran into Larry at the airport.....'''''''Kirk said he's a great recruiter!  They showed Larry Fitzgerald at the Olympics watching the figure skating....hes a world wide traveler in the offseason, yet still keeps his body in great shape! 

It looks like the other big free agent QB names Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan want to see what numbers Kirk Cousins gets before they start working on their new deals...............

@teganslaw 

Thanks for startin the Thread TEGAN! 

I wish Frank Gore the best, you hate to see a veteran like him go, he can teach the younger players how to act on and off the field....but with number crunching sadly these guys get tossed aside!  I wonder if the Redskins would consider getting Chris Baker back who the Bucs let go...he was another veteran and good guy.....  but teams can replace them with cheaper younger guys, but I think teams lose that leadership in the locker room........... 

This is somewhat humorous--- the Giants are prepared to pay big bucks for offensive linemen...Gee its about time, they dont need a GM to tell them that, any fan couldve provided that info....they needed to do that for awhile......

@yellowBeetle

Glad you didnt get hurt when you were battling that storm with all that gusty wind.....Stay safe! 

We are supposed to be getting rain from the storm that started out on the west coast and was moving eastward...but havent seen a drop yet....we need it!

BTW @gardenman  how are you mending?  Hope the recovery is ahead of schedule........

[gardenman]

@Spurt

I'm feeling good, but I saw my ortho doc on Wednesday and the femur isn't cooperating. The x-rays showed no healing of the bones yet. (Seven weeks in.) So, I've got another six weeks of no weight bearing and more PT, daily clotting factor injections and injections of Lovenox in the belly. This type of injury is a four to six month recovery and mine is looking more like the six month range. It was hoped I'd be weight bearing in ten to twelve weeks, but we're looking at a minimum of thirteen weeks now. If the bones aren't healing in thirteen weeks, then I'll have a bigger problem. The good news is there's no real pain, my strength is back, and I'm used to being on crutches.

[teganslaw]

Gardenman, sorry to hear that you're having problems with your femur not healing. At least you're not pain, and your strength is returning. One day at a time... 

Cousins is looking for a 3 year 90 million dollar deal, all of it guaranteed. The money could happen, but not sure about the guaranteed part. That would be a first in the NFL. What if a team doesn't offer exactly what Cousins wants; will he negotiate or retire? This whole situation is setting a precedent for qb's in the future. Rodgers won't sign until Cousins does, and others might follow.

[gardenman]

The Cousins contract will have a major impact around the league. Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, and lots more will look to that as the baseline for their own deals. It's going to cost a lot of teams a lot of money.