Sports

[teganslaw]

I liked Isaiah Rogers; he is a good player. Not too smart, otherwise. I'm thinking at least a year suspension.

Another player behaving badly: The Cowboys released WR Antonio Callaway after he was arrested in Miamii for speeding and driivng with a suspended license. Callaway has been in past trouble  for substance use and violating NFL regulations. That's probably why he can't stay on a team for long. 

[Spurt]

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@teganslaw wrote:

I liked Isaiah Rogers; he is a good player. Not too smart, otherwise. I'm thinking at least a year suspension.

Another player behaving badly: The Cowboys released WR Antonio Callaway after he was arrested in Miamii for speeding and driivng with a suspended license. Callaway has been in past trouble  for substance use and violating NFL regulations. That's probably why he can't stay on a team for long. 

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@teganslaw @gardenman 

Isaiah isnt thinking too clearly risking his NFL career for mostly $25 to $50 bets.....It also seems the NFL did a poor job in explaining about gambling violations and what they cannot do as an NFL player!

Callaway sounds just like another typical Cowboy player....Jerry likes to get edgy players whose character lies in the danger zone....but then they get caught by law enforcement and the player gets in serious trouble, and Jerry winds up with egg on his face!  Thats why although Ive lived 3/4 of my life in Texas even as a kid I NEVER liked the Dallas Cowboys and didnt pick them as my NFL team....I just didnt like the character of the majority of their players (Bob Lilly and Roger Staubach were exceptions)...and this signing "hoodlums" goes back to Cowboy owner Clint Murchison and Cowboy President Tex Schram's days....its a Dallas tradition..... 🙄  Funny how my siblings selected other teams too as young fans.....sister (Giants) and my brother (Rams).....and we all have stuck with our teams....but we are all NBA SPUR's fans

[Spurt]

@teganslaw @gardenman 

Interesting Podcast from Falcons, I wanted to hear what Taylor Heinicke had to say.....he's a very engaging guy and I can see why teammates rallied around him.....he said he might not have the strong arm or skills of other QBS, BUT one thing he promises is to give his all, and how much he really loves the game......

One thing the host brought out was when Rivera benched him and put in Wentz against the Browns...(yeh, Heinicke had a bad game the week before, but dont all QBs have these, sometimes its just matchups, and it wasnt all his fault either).....But anyway it came out that if Rivera had realized that the game had definite playoff implications he would have left in Heinicke.....but he didnt know, so he switched to Wentz....NOW HOW DID RIVERA NOT KNOW!!!!  And HOW COME NO ONE SPOKE UP AND TOLD HIM!!!!  Afterall, Rivera is a defensive minded coach so wouldnt he pick the brains of his OC and QB coach????....DIDNT THEY KNOW!!!  The game outcome may have been different and Washington probably would have made the playoffs considering the weak NFC. Heinicke took the high road and said the communication on the switch at QB could have been better....and he found it out the round about way.....SMH!!!! Terry McLaurin and other players wrote glowing accolades of him as their teammate and wished him well.... Anyway good interview...he talked abut how he was taking an online college course final exam (said he made a "C") when his agent called with Wahingtons offer...and how much he appreciuated the opportunity, becaue he loves football....Brett Favre is his favorite player, because he played with such passion., Packers were him and his dads fav team (his dad has passed away ).. he talked about his sneaker collection of defeated opponents and is a gamer on the Hogwart's Legacy video game....

GOOD LUCK TAYLOR, WE WISH YOU THE BEST! 

[Spurt]

@gardenman @teganslaw and all.....

GOOD NEWS----Josh Harris met with the NFL for 2.5 hours and it seems that the approval on Washington's sale could be approved in late July (just a few weeks away!)....

In honor of this historic occasion a local brewry in the DC/MD/VA area has come up with a special ale to commemorate the event......

[gardenman]

One of the things that drives coaches and GMs crazy with QBs is that you'll find a guy with the perfect mental makeup to be a great QB, but he lacks the physical traits needed. Then they'll find a guy with perfect physical traits who is mentally inept. Teams take a shot at both types in the hope they can rebuild the guy and fix what's wrong, but it doesn't often work out.

A guy like Heinicke is "right" mentally, but can't make the throws his mind/coaching tells him to make. He knows what to do, it's the doing it where things fall apart. Finding a guy who's both physically and mentally sound is the big challenge. A couple of hundred kids come out of college programs each year and maybe one or two have both qualities. 

I still think you can build a QB to some extent.  Computer simulations and full speed practices can help quicken the mental processing. Strength programs can help improve arm strength to some extent. I think it's probably easier to fix a physical specimen who's a bit slow mentally than to fix a guy with small hands and a weak arm.

The right coaches always seem to get the most out of any QB they have. Andy Reid has never had a "bad" QB. When those "good" QBs go elsewhere, they revert back to being bad. He's had physically special guys (McNabb, Vick, Mahomes) and guys who were more mentally sharp (Jeff Garcia, Kevin Kolb, Alex Smith.) He always finds a way to make them their best. It's impressive to watch.

[gardenman]

The Vikings couldn't find a buyer and will be releasing Dalvin Cook. They may be planning to tank this year to get a replacement for Kirk Cousins. They're flushing quite a few good players even though the NFC North looks pretty winnable. They moved Zadarius Smith. They're moving Cook. Pro Bowl edge rusher Danielle Hunter is said to be available. As a rule getting rid of three of your better players isn't the ideal formula to win. Head coach Kevin O'Connell is likely wondering what he's signed up for. Tanking is sometimes a smart move for an organization, but seldom good for the coaches.

[teganslaw]

Sports Illustrated already has the Jets and Cowboys interested in Dalvin Cook. There might be other teams linked to him. I don't think Cook will remain a free agent for long. 

[gardenman]

Dalvin Cook is a good player when healthy, but he's also 28 years old and likely on the downhill side of his career. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry in 2022 which ranked 27th. Miles Sanders is 26 years old, averaged 4.9 yards per carry (13th in the league), was an unrestricted free agent and has a cap hit of $2.5+ million in 2023 for the Panthers compared to Cook's $14+ million cap hit with the Vikings in 2023. Sanders yearly average salary over the length of his contract is a bit over $6+ million a year for a younger, more productive, healthier back.

There will be a market for Cook, but he's likely looking at a short term, $3+ million a year deal, if he's even offered that much. Teams have to decide if he's "special" or if he's "just a guy" at this point in his career. The stats from last year suggest he's "just a guy" which is why the Vikings were willing to trade him or let him walk rather than pay him. He needs to find a team that thinks he's still "special."

D'Andre Swift (24 years old) who the Eagles got from the Lions averaged 5.5 yards per carry last year despite playing with a bad shoulder and a high ankle sprain. The Eagles only had to give up a fourth round pick and swap seventh round picks for Swift.

The market for running backs is pretty bad right now. Cook will have interested buyers, but at their price and not his. Teams are playing hardball with running back contracts these days and just shuffle them around as replaceable parts. Saquon Barkley is finding that out as the Giants are jerking him around. He could end up getting released or traded by the Giants who reportedly have already pulled their better contract offer off the table. They could rescind the franchise tag and let him wander off if they decide he's not worth the tag price. It's not a good time to be a running back.

[teganslaw]

The NFL has tabbed Tom Brady as spokesman about gambling policies. He recorded a video stating that he is honored to have played football and went on to say that gambling on the NFL hurts the integrity of the game, etc. 

The rule is that NFL players can gamble on any sport except football and they can't gamble inside an NFL facility. Anything else is OK.   The NFL really can't be against all gambling because they are sponsored by Draftkings and different sports books. To prohibit all sports gambling would look like hypocrisy since that's where the big money is. 

[gardenman]

I'm hearing more whispers of the Cards and Eagles working out a trade for safety Budda Baker. I would expect a trade to include a contract extension if the picks traded were halfway high. A new deal would likely make him the highest paid safety with much of the money in a signing bonus to lower his 2023 cap hit. We'll have to see if there's anything behind the whispers. I would expect a trade to be done before camp if it happens.