Month: May 2018

Avril: Seahawks began to question Carroll after SB XLIX

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Now that Seattle’s celebrated Legion of Boom defense has started to crumble, it’s natural to wonder if the dynasty window has closed with just one Lombardi Trophy in the Pete Carroll era.
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If not for Malcolm Butler ‘s history-altering interception that swung Super Bowl XLIX in New England’s direction, in fact, recently released defensive end Cliff Avril believes his ring finger wouldn’t be so lonesome.

So I think guys started questioning him more, more so than actually following his lead if we’d won that Super Bowl.

The Raiders currently have Donald Penn, a three-time Pro Bowler, at left tackle, but he’s 35 years old and coming off of season-ending foot surgery. It’s possible Miller’s athleticism could move Penn over to right tackle this season.
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Few teams take more gambles on draft day than the Raiders 鈥?especially in the early rounds 鈥?but this one could pay off if Miller can adjust to NFL speed rushers and protect Derek Carr’s blind side.

As a team exec in the past and now in my work with an agent group, I have always advised our rookies to lay low, learn their crafts, be great teammates, play with a motor and be Robert Nkemdiche Jersey ready to produce when called upon. Say little and do a lot as a rookie; it will win you a lot more friends. And if a player becomes an elite QB, being humble will produce more votes for the Pro Bowl, All-Pro status and, maybe, eventual Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Cardinals general manager Steve Keim thought highly enough of Rosen to trade three picks in order to move up five spots and snag the QB. Keim says his young signal caller is arguably the most intelligent player in the draft.

Running back Ameer Abdullah frustrated with his role in Lions’ offense

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Running back Ameer Abdullah carried the ball 165 times for the Lions last season. He wanted more.

Abdullah, who was selected by Detroit in the second round of the 2015 draft out of Nebraska, said on the “I am Rapaport Stereo Podcast” he was unhappy with his role in the Lions’ offense.

“I’m a lot tougher than I ever would have been if I would have went somewhere else,” Abdullah said.

“You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there, maybe you shouldn’t be in the country,” Trump said. “The NFL owners did the right thing.”

The league announced Wednesday it will allow players to remain in the locker room while the anthem plays. However, teams will be fined if players and other personnel on the field “do not stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem.”

The NFL Players Association responded shortly after, saying its members were not consulted about the adjustments. It added the union would review the new policy and “challenge any aspect of it that is inconsistent with the collective bargaining agreement.”

The changes sent a ripple through the sports world, triggering both suravens_068pport and opposition. Jets co-owner Christopher Johnson made his stance clear when he said he will pay any fines his players might be subjected to.

Jaylon Smith expects to be better than Notre Dame 100 percent

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No longer in need of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) brace for drop foot, Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith has no more reminders of his devastating knee injury from two years ago. Instead, he sees only a bright future.
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Game Womens Patrick Mahomes II Jersey From the start, people thought I’d never be able to play the game again, Smith said, via Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News. I’ve been able to accomplish that and each and every day I’ve gotten better. Last year, each game I improved.

I’m getting there. I’m going to be better than Notre Dame 100 percent. My overall knowledge of the game has improved each and every day, and [I’m physically] going to improve as well.

Soak up as much guidance as you can, Allen, on and off the field. There’s a lot of work to be done, and the Bills will be calling on you sooner than later.

Fourth of July weekend is the first and only break from football most rookies get between the end of their final college seasons and the start of training camps. After all, they went straight from their last college games to all-star games Austin Czarnik Jersey or performance centers and then to the combine, pro days and team visits. Then it was on to April’s draft, which led straight to rookie camps, OTAs and minicamps. They only have a few precious July weekends to rest, reconnect with friends and family and have a little fun.

This time around, New Orleans didn’t have to do that. The NFL offered New Orleans the chance to host the game again, and New Orleans accepted.

Most of that damage came in the pivotal third quarter, when the Warriors ran their 11-point halftime lead into a 28-point cushion that sent the crowd at Oracle into a frenzy and evoked a shimmy and uncharacteristic swear-jar moment from Curry — This is my f—ing house! — captured on the big screen for all to see.

Was that the release of the frustration of the past two games and another rough first half that saw Curry miss six of his seven 3-pointers? Or just a spontaneous show of joy when the crowd roared as the Warriors reclaimed control of the series?

Kerr: ‘Steph is underrated for the toughness factor.’Steve Kerr praises Steph Curry’s physical and mental toughness after Game 3.
Limited Mens Brian Leetch Jersey Curry might want to forget the profane public moment, but it sat well with the Warriors, who had been forced out of their offensive comfort zone by the Rockets’ switch-everything defense in the first two games.

Khalil Mack remains away from Raiders as OTAs begin

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Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack has not been taking part in the team’s voluntary work all offseason and nothing changed with the start of OTAs on Tuesday.
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Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal passes along word that the Raiders took the field to kick off this phase of their offseason work without Mack in attendance. There had been no sign that Mack was planning to show for the OTAs.
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Tommy Pham, who has been the Cardinals’ best player this year, did not start Tuesday. He is 0-for-8 with six strikeouts in the last two games. His average has dropped 40 points in the last 10 days to .303. Rookie Tyler O’Neill started in center. Dexter Fowler, who did not play Monday, Womens Malik Jefferson Jersey led off and played in right. He went 0-for-4.

With his start, Escobar had made 381 consecutive starts. It is the longest streak in Royals history and the longest active streak in the major leagues.

That’s the same order they took their reps, which did little to counter the feeling that Hackenberg is going to end up as the odd man out after spending the last two years watching from the sideline. The 2016 second-round pick has not taken that as a sign that his future in the league is limited.

All I know is I’m 23 and I have a lot of ball ahead of me. Hell, my career hasn’t even started yet, Hackenberg said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post.

Hackenberg has spent time this offseason rebuilding his throwing motion and said on Tuesday that he feels he has a solid foundation from a fundamental standpoint for the first time in a long time. He said it was frustrating to go through ups and downs the last two years and not really getting any information from anybody on how to fix what was wrong.

That’s a curious approach to take with a quarterback drafted with a second-round pick and it joins plenty of other evidence, up to and including Darnold’s addition, that any of that ball Hackenberg has ahead of him is likely to be played elsewhere.

How Giants’ intriguing rookie QB is handling start of Year 1

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Like most young football players, Kyle Lauletta had NFL dreams. Unlike most, however, he rarely talked about those. He set more modest goals for himself.
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Where I am on the depth chart really isn’t under my control, so I just want to progress and learn, he said this weekend during the Giants’ rookie minicamp. I heard from a coach [Richmond offensive coordinator John Garrett] one time, ‘If you can get 1 percent better each day, and do that every day, you’ll be in a really good spot by the time the season gets here.’

The season’s a long time away, and I’ve been in this position before where I’ve had to learn an offense, so just looking forward to kind of climbing that ladder and getting to be as good as I can.

Game Womens Mark Clayton Jersey He grew up 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia in Exton, Pa., so the 6-foot-3 signal caller was an Eagles fan. The entire family was. But that’s in the past now.

I’m not playing. That’s for damn sure. But yeah, all the other stuff is still on the table, he said,聽via the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

A first-round pick by the聽Atlanta Falcons聽in 2004, Hall spent the past nine and a half seasons with the聽Redskins. Hall was traded from the聽Falcons聽to the聽Raiders聽in March 2008. He lasted just eight games in Oakland before being cut. Hall signed in Washington three days later to a one-year contract. He quickly became a staple in the聽Redskins secondary, first as a corner, then making the transition to safety.

Chuck Howley Jersey After an extended bout with the injury bug, the 6’3, 218-pound pass-catcher should Jordan Zimmermann Womens Jersey stand out above the rest as a big-body target in the red zone.

Quarterback Philip Rivers will have one wideout who can come down with receptions despite tight coverage. At Clemson, quarterback Deshaun Watson utilized Williams’ stature and physicality to his advantage. The Chargers shouldn’t have too much difficulty crossing the goal line passing inside the 20-yard line.聽

Among the second-year wideouts picked in the first round, Williams has the best quarterback, which puts him in an ideal position for a breakout year.

Michael Vick on returning to the NFL at age 37: ‘I still have dreams about it’

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Michael Vick on returning to the NFL at age 37: ‘I still have dreams about it’ More Michael Vick has plenty to keep him busy these days. The former No. 1 overall draft pick and Pro Bowl quarterback is fresh off his arrival as offensive coordinator with the newly formed Alliance of American Football’s Georgia team, and he’s quarterbacking a pro team in the upstart American Flag Football League, which will be seen on NFL Network this summer.

If it were up to him, though, an all-out return to the NFL at age 37 might not be out of the question. Or at least that’s what Vick told Bill Reiter on Thursday’s Reiter’s Block on CBS Sports HQ. I’m still nice, said Vick, who last played in 2015 as a backup for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I still have dreams about it. I still can play.

Carolina brought in speedster Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright during free agency and used a first-round pick on former Maryland standout D.J. Moore. With Devin Funchess, Smith and Moore potentially serving as the team’s starting trio, Shepard will be battling for a backup role. If second-year man Curtis Samuel takes a positive step, Shepard could be the fifth receiver at best—and that’s if the Panthers feel he’s worth the money.

Two weeks after becoming the 10th overall pick in the draft, Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen has become the first top-10 pick to sign a contract. The Cardinals have announced that Rosen has inked his first NFL deal, on the eve of the team’s rookie minicamp. It’s smart for Rosen to want the deal in place before setting foot on the field, and it’s easy to work out the slotted contract. He’ll have four years of fully-guaranteed money, and the team will hold an option for a fifth year. Last year’s No. 10 pick, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, received a four-year, $16.4 million deal.

The good news for Rosen is that, because the Cardinals traded up to No. 10 to get him, his option year in 2022 will be the transition tag for quarterbacks in 202One pick lower, and the fifth-year salary would have been much lower. The Cardinals signed veterans Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon in March. It remains to be seen whether Rosen will have a chance to be the Week One starter.

While Washington can still be a valuable rotational player, general manager Brandon Beane has two reasons to consider moving on from him. For one, Washington was a piece of the defensive front that allowed 124.6 yards per game on the ground last season. Beane traded away defensive tackle Marcell Dareus last season and recently released defensive end Ryan Davis.
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Cliff Avril says ‘a few’ NFL teams contacted him

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When Seattle’s 950 KJR-AM announced it hired former Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril, the press release conspicuously omitted any mention of the pass-rusher officially retiring. Instead, it simply referred to the move as the next chapter of Avril’s career.
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I’m definitely ready [to move on if the doctor recommends as much], he said. I’ve had about eight months now to kind of wrap my brain around it. My wife and I, we’ve been talking about it. We talk about it pretty much every other week, just understanding, ‘Hey, if you’re not going to play anymore, what’s next? Start preparing yourself for that.’ And that’s kind of where I’m at right now. I’m OK if I’m not able to play ball. If the doctor tells me, ‘Hey, you should definitely reconsider not playing,’ I’m OK with that at this point of my career.

Avril added he’s feeling a lot better in his recovery, but still waiting to get clearance from doctors. If that permission never comes, the philanthropic pass-rusher is ready to move on to the next phase of his career.
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We’ve got a competitive situation here at wide receiver, Gruden said, via NBC Bay Area. So I like that.

The wild card for the Raiders is Bryant, who owns the talent to be a top-flight receiver, but has been inconsistent on the field, and had issues off it. It’s telling that the Pittsburgh Steelers jettisoned him at the first sign of solid compensation.

If Bryant is motivated heading into the final year of his contract, Gruden see’s the freaky athlete as a potential difference maker.

Let me tell you, he brings a different dynamic, the coach said. He’s 6-foot-4 and he plays it. He’s 4.4- (second 40-yard dash) fast and he plays it. We just have to get him wired into the offense and Jordy Nelson ‘s experience and versatility has really been impressive that it’s allowed us to do some Jeff Samardzija Youth jersey things in just a few days that is pretty cool. We like our receivers, and we think Martavis will make you think twice about doing some things.

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Eagles sign 15 undrafted free agents

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The reigning Super Bowl champs have added 15 undrafted free agents to their 90-man roster.
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The Eagles announced their crop of undrafted rookies as their rookie minicamp got underway on Friday. Included in the group is running back Josh Adams, who ran for 1,430 yards and nine touchdowns for Notre Dame during the 2017 season. He’s part of a deep running back group in Philly, but Corey Clement was able to overcome that to earn a spot in the lineup last year.

As uncomfortable as it is to say, New Orleans’ raging success in these playoffs has to change that calculus. The Pelicans look better, faster, stingier, more versatile with Davis at center, Jrue Holiday in an elevated role, and Nikola Mirotic spacing the floor for Davis’ borderline pornographic rim runs. A long-term, near-max deal for Cousins is simply too risky given the Pelicans know this current roster — when healthy, an important caveat — can win at this level.

Cousins didn’t suffer a regular injury. He suffered perhaps the most devastating injury that can befall a basketball player. As Kevin Pelton has written often, the recovery track record is discouraging — if a little scattershot. The sample size of players as large as Cousins who have come back to full strength from an Achilles rupture is practically nonexistent. Cousins’ conditioning has sometimes been an issue, and it cannot be for any player rallying from this injury.

And how confident is Wentz that he’ll reach that goal?

I’m very confident, he said. It’s a fluid process so you never know but I’m doing what the doctors say and taking it step by step. There’s times you feel great and you want to push yourself but you’ve got to stay the course with what the doctors are saying. I feel really good and really confident for Week One.

The Eagles will surely not push Wentz to come back, and the way Nick Foles played after Wentz went down shows they don’t need to. But they want him back in Week One, and he thinks he’ll be there.

Limited Mens Delano Hill Jersey All this has presented New Orleans with what looks like an obvious roadmap: Let Cousins walk, re-sign Mirotic to a more reasonable number after next season, and use draft picks and the midlevel exception to stock the roster with wings. With so many teams capped out, the midlevel is powerful again. It could net Danny Green or Will Barton this summer, and perhaps an equivalent player in the next one. Then, cycle through minimum-salary Authentic Nolan Ryan Jersey centers who can bang, and sop up minutes.

Multiple pairs of twin brother teammates is an NFL first

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Authentic Mens Ndamukong Suh Jersey The Seahawks made news at the NFL draft when they selected Shaquem Griffin, the twin brother of Seattle鈥檚 second-year player Shaquill Griffin. But the Patriots had already beaten them to uniting twin brothers on the same team this offseason.
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If something strange happens in this era of the NFL Draft 鈥?as exemplified by the Laremy Tunsil saga 鈥?it will be on Vine or Twitter in less than a minute. The craziest happenings back in the day may have slipped through the cracks without the social safety net, and that’s why we’re bringing them back to light.

So beginning with Tunsil and traveling through time to John Wayne’s draft day, here are the strangest moments in draft history.

Washington really wanted California running back Calvin Cal Rossi … they made him their first selection A’Shawn Robinson Jersey twice in two years.

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Given that he was never tried, Patricia never lost the legal presumption of innocence. Given the current climate, both within the NFL and society at large, the fact that the allegation triggered an indictment require the Lions and Patricia to address the situation in a clear, firm, and confident way.

The Buccaneers entered the draft with one of the league’s shakiest running back situations, but found themselves a new starter by adding Jones, who’s one of the most explosive players in the class. The USC product is a bit undersized at a lean 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, which may limit his early-down and goal-line opportunities, but his landing spot in Tampa Bay will allow him a significant role out of the gate.

Lions, Patricia issue statements in wake of report regarding 1996 indictment

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On Wednesday night, a story emerged regarding an indictment of Lions coach Matt Patricia for sexual assault in 1996. The Lions and Patricia have issued statements regarding the situation.

The Lions issued a joint statement from owner Martha Firestone Ford, G.M. Bob Quinn, and team president Rod Wood.

“Responding to a published report this evening from the Detroit News, the Detroit Lions are aware that a criminal charge involving sexual assault was brought against Matt Patricia in 1996,” the statement explains.

Cowboys scouting chief Will McClay cited Bryant’s inability “to win one-on-one, to win downfield” and the receiver’s “inconsistency.” Bryant, who has not had a 1,000-yard season since 2014 and has gone 23 games without a 100-yard game, was scheduled to make a $12.5 million base salary and count $16.5 million against the cap.

Jones, who has a close relationship with Bryant, was asked about McClay’s comments from a radio interview last week.

“I don’t feel that way,” Jones said. “That’s not to disagree at all with Will, but I wish and want Dez to have the opportunity to compete in the NFL. I think he can, and I think he will. He’s certainly got the right stuff and the real question is: As every player in his career deals with injury or deals with the length of his career, I think he’s very capable mentally as well as physically to do the kinds of things that you have to to adjust as you move on through your career.

Rodgers’ long wait in the green room after he had hoped to go No. 1 to his hometown-area 49ers (instead of Alex Smith) still stands out in our minds. So does the fact that he was taken by the Packers when Brett Favre was still their starter.

Given extra time to develop and after that chip on his shoulder grew, Rodgers got the last laugh as the best all-around QB in the NFL. It’s unfortunate that few first-round rookie QBs now have the same luxury of being groomed into a superstar.
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