Fri 27 Apr 2012

Trades and surprises define the first round (Shutdown Corner)

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Given that 2012 marked the first season with the combination of a rookie wage scale and the absence of a lockout, speculation was high that teams would be trading around the first round with a frequency rarely seen. Little did we know. There were three trades among NFL teams with the first 10 picks alone, starting with the Cleveland Browns, who moved up from the fourth overall pick to the third in order to grab Alabama running back Trent Richardson. That move took the Minnesota Vikings from the third pick to Cleveland's fourth, and added fourth, fifth, and seventh-round picks to an already stacked Vikings pick list -- they now have 13 picks overall in this year's draft, and they got their much-needed elite pass protector in USC's Matt Kalil. The Vikings later made a deal with the Baltimore Ravens to move down again in the first round. The Jacksonville Jaguars then moved up to the fifth pick by trading their seventh overall selection and an extra fourth-round pick for the privilege of taking Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon. The Bucs may have been in the hunt for Richardson,  but the move down still netted them Alabama safety Mark Barron, one of the safest and most versatile players in this draft class. The big traders in that top 10 were the Dallas Cowboys, who took their 14th overall pick and their second-rounder and gave it to the St. Louis Rams to move up to St. Louis' sixth-overall selection. From there, they took LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and left the Rams with even more chips in the later rounds. You'll be hearing from them a lot on Friday and Saturday. Later in the first round, the New England Patriots proved once again that they see no fixed positions in any draft by trading up twice for two much-needed additions to their front seven -- linebacker Dont'a Hightower and Syracuse pass rusher Chandler Jones. Not bad for a couple of fourth-round picks. The Bucs and Denver Broncos, who were also part of one of the Patriots' trades finished things off by switching picks in the 30s so that Tampa Bay could grab Boise State running back Doug Martin. But the most surprising trade, at least when it came to the final result, happened when the Seattle Seahawks took their 12th overall pick and dropped with Philadelphia's 15th. The Eagles selected Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, which seems a great value pick, as many mocks had Cox going as early at No. 6 overall to the Rams. The Seahawks confounded most observers by taking West Virginia's Bruce Irvin while some impressive and much-needed talent -- including Stanford guard David DeCastro, South Carolina end Melvin Ingram and Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw -- were still on the board. Irvin is a speed pass rusher who reminds some of an embryonic Von Miller, but few expected him to go in the first round at all. Seattle knew better, or at least they thought they did. Sources said that the San Francisco 49ers had basically guaranteed Irvin a pick at 30th overall if he fell that far, and the Seahawks already felt they had their man. Brushing the naysayers aside, head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider seemed thrilled to come out of the first round with Irvin and two more picks.
 

Thu 26 Apr 2012

The Shutdown 50 — #5: Matt Kalil, OT, USC (Shutdown Corner)

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With the 2011 NFL season in the books, it's time to turn our eyes to the NFL draft, and the pre-draft evaluation process. Right up to the draft, we'll be taking a closer look at the 50 players who may be the biggest NFL difference-makers when all is said and done. We continue this year's series with USC left tackle Matt Kalil, who has it all going for him on paper. He's got the bloodline -- his father Frank played and his brother Ryan plays in the NFL, he played very well in a highly-regarded program, and he comes right out of Central Casting when it comes to how you want an offensive tackle to look. Good enough on the left side to keep current Dallas Cowboys stud tackle Tyron Smith on the right side, Kalil is a two-year starter who also saw a lot of action in 2009, and his ability to pass-protect kept the Trojans going as quarterback Matt Barkley matured into a prospect who some believe could be the first overall pick in 2013. Every year, there are draft prospects that drop at the last minute in the media for no specifically good reason, and Kalil appears to be one of those guys in 2012. Though to to be a sure-fire pick for the Minnesota Vikings with the third overall pick at one time, the speculation that the Vikings might trade down and increasing concern about his in-line power have pundits wondering how far he'll slip. Slip from what is a very good question -- NFL teams keep their boards more fixed at this point of the process, and it's the media that starts to throw magnet names at their draft boards, Billy Beane-style, when the draft is just around the corner. So, who is Matt Kalil, anyway? Is he a franchise left tackle, or is he a player who tends to dissolve a bit when one gets forensic with the game tape? I think he's more the former than the latter, though there are areas of his game that cause concern and require improvement. Pros: From a template size perspective, Kalil looks exactly like you'd like a left tackle to look -- he's tall, long-limbed, and he's pretty spidery when he locks on to a pass rusher. Long arms allow his to create a "force field" between him and edge rushers -- he's very hard to beat and penetrate outside as a result. Has a good, measured (though not always entirely smooth) dropback in pass pro; his footwork is in line, but he doesn't quite pass the Joe Thomas test when arcing out to seal the edge. Has a good functional kickstep that he uses to keep college rushers out of the circle, but he may need to get quicker and less "practiced" with his timing to keep NFL edge defenders from beating him on the back half of the pocket. Crosses off from one defender to another very well on loops, stunts, and slides -- he's obviously got an outstanding grasp of the fundamentals. Gets a good punch at the snap to rock his opponent back. Locks on pretty well from a backpedal and he's tough to get around, because his arm radius is so wide. Quick and agile second-level blocker who generally hits his targets and can break off to help his ballcarriers in space. Rides defenders out and keeps contact well in slide protection; Kalil doesn't let gaps open with sloppy technique in these circumstances. He's kind of a Venus Flytrap in pass pro; Kalil will step back, wait for the pass-rusher to move in, wrap him up, and that's all she wrote. Doesn't pull a lot in USC's offense, but has all the basic tools to do so. [ Related: Soon-to-be Colts QB Andrew Luck isn't on Twitter and owns a $10 cell phone ] Cons: Kalil's length may be an issue in the power game, especially when he's run-blocking -- there are times when he is stronger than he looks because he tends to make everything look relatively easy, but he also comes out of his stance high quite often from a two-point start, and this could lead to him losing strength battles in the NFL.
 

Sun 22 Apr 2012

Jason Witten is Longest Tenured Dallas Cowboys’ Draft Pick: A Fan’s Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

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When watching the Dallas Cowboys' tight end Jason Witten play, it is almost hard to believe he is the longest tenured player that Dallas drafted remaining on the team. What is even stranger is that he is only 29, making you realize how relatively young the Cowboys really are.
 

Tue 17 Apr 2012

2012 Seattle Seahawks Schedule: Fan’s Look (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

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The 2012 Seattle Seahawks schedule is a tough one, with several road games that will take the team far out East. The regular season begins on Sunday, Sept. 9, with a road game against the Arizona Cardinals. It's an easier game compared to home games against the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers in Week 2 and Week 3.
 

Tue 17 Apr 2012

Random thoughts about the 2012 NFL schedule (Shutdown Corner)

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You will get Manning-Brady again; it will just be with one different uniform. November 21, 2010 was the last time you saw the NFL's former greatest rivalry -- the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, or more specifically, Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning. On October 7 at Gillette Stadium, the Denver Broncos (now, of course, led by Peyton Manning), will take on the Patriots. The Broncos open their season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team whose postseason they ended with an overtime touchdown pass from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas. Monday Night Football loves Da Bears. The team with the most Monday Night Football games didn't even go to the playoffs last year; perhaps the ghost of George Halas is messing with the Ouija board. The Chicago Bears have three Monday Night Football jags: At the Dallas Cowboys on October 1, at home against the Detroit Lions on October 22, and at the San Francisco 49ers on November 19. Last season's Super Bowl entrants -- the New York Giants and New England Patriots -- each have one MNF appearance, and sight teams (49ers, Broncos, San Diego  Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans) each have two. The Packers and Texans irked the schedule gods. Only two teams have three straight road games -- the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans. The Packers take their jaunt starting at Indianapolis, then Houston, then St. Louis from October 7 through October 21. The Texans start at Detroit on Thanksgiving Day; then they head to Tennessee on December 2, and end up at Foxboro on Monday Night Football against the New England Patriots on December 10. On the other hand, the Texans may have forgotten what going on the road is like by that point -- they have three straight home games from October 14 through November 4 (Packers, Ravens, Bills), with a bye to boot. The Packers don't get any three-game home swings, but they have some fairly advantageous swings -- they have the Jaguars on October 28 and Cardinals on November 4 before their bye, and four of their last six games at home -- they travel only to meet division rivals Detroit and Minnesota. The best announcing crew in the business has an expanded schedule. No, the NFL Network will not react to its expanded schedule by bringing back Matt Millen and Joe Theismann -- they're sticking with Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock in the booth, and Alex Flanagan on the sideline. That's great news for a populace tired of hearing Phil Simms say ... well, anything. Nessler is the consummate pro, and Mayock can break down a play before it happens. This year, they're rewarded for their 2011 excellence with a few barn-burners.
 

Wed 11 Apr 2012

Rex Ryan doesn’t want to do HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ (Shutdown Corner)

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In a move akin to a carnival barker turning down a megaphone or a Kardashian hiding from the paparazzi, Rex Ryan does not want HBO reality cameras to invade New York Jets training camp this summer. According to Adam Schein of FoxSports.com, team owner Woody Johnson has told HBO he's interested in having the Jets featured on "Hard Knocks," the training camp reality series, but Ryan is against the move, saying he'd prefer not to have a "circus-like atmosphere" surround the team. Good thing Rex traded for Tim Tebow then; he's like the black sheep Ringling brother. No circus around him. Johnson is said to crave the attention "Hard Knocks" brings his team. It steals attention away from the New York Giants and puts the Jets on the back pages of the New York tabloids from late-July until the start of the season. That's great for Rupert Murdoch, but what does Johnson care? Dominating headlines in January is far more important than doing so in August. And if his coach thinks that the best way to do that is to spurn HBO's advances, then there's only one move to make. But we can see why Johnson is conflicted. He's listened to Rex's bluster for four years and now he's being told that it's the wrong recipe? Should the Jets resist pay-cable temptation, HBO will explore the possibility of a joint program featuring the Harbaugh brothers in San Francisco and Baltimore. When that falls through, Jacksonville is said to be interested, a possibility which should put all reality TV fans firmly on Team Woody. More NFL news from Yahoo! Sports Other popular content on the Yahoo! network: • Rep for Tony Romo says the QB's newborn son is 'now a part of the Dallas Cowboys family' • David Beckham desperately wants to represent Great Britain in Olympics but will he? • Y! News: Mike Tyson on George Zimmerman: 'It's a disgrace he hasn't been shot yet'
 

Mon 9 Apr 2012

15,000 show up for Tebow’s Easter service; how far could his mandate go? (Shutdown Corner)

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Pro football players have made their religious faiths public for decades -- the Dallas Cowboys of the 1970s were pretty outspoken about it, to be specific -- but it's safe to say that no football player at any level, in the history of the game, has transcended his on-field doings and connected with fans in a spiritual sense more than Tim Tebow. On Easter Sunday, the Tebow brand made its way to a church in Georgetown, Texas , so that the quarterback could take questions from pastor Joe Champion of Celebration Church. "I think it's exactly what we wanted to have happen," Champion said. "We had people coming from all over the region; even from out of state. One lady drove 17 hours from Indianapolis with her two daughters, and Tim just did an outstanding job of sharing Easter and the life of Christ in his personal testimony. We were just thrilled with everything about [the service]." Tebow, who requested the opportunity to speak, hit the stage at the huge service to passionate applause from those in attendance, and the attendees who could not see him on stage because he was too far away were helped by giant video screens. "In Christianity, it's the Pope and Tebow right now," Champion said. "We didn't have enough room to handle the Pope." In addition to those who drove from all over to be at the service, there were over 100 school buses there, shuttling in more believers. When it was Tebow's turn to speak, the former Denver Broncos and current New York Jets quarterback reaffirmed his conviction that he would be public about his Christian beliefs. "It's OK to be outspoken about your faith," he said. [ Related: Most overhyped athletes include Tim Tebow ] Tebow then took a shot at those athletes who claim that they're not role models, or act in ways that would not be worthy of the title, in his mind. "Yes you are. You're just not a good one." When asked by Champion what needed to change culturally in America, Tebow echoed the thoughts common to most arch-conservative thought processes. "First and foremost is what this country was based on: one nation under God. The more that we can get back to that." It is not known what Tebow thinks of the separation of church and state, but that's another matter best left for a time in which Tebow aligns his beliefs with a political cause -- if he ever does. One begins to wonder how far we are away from that.
 

Tue 27 Mar 2012

New York Giants to host Dallas Cowboys in 2012 NFL season opener ()

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The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, Sept. 5 to open the 2012 NFL season. League officials made the announcement on Tuesday at the NFL's annual meeting. It's the ninth-straight year a Super Bowl winner will open the game at home. The Giants will attempt to keep defending champions undefeated in the opener. Previous winners are 8-0. This is only the second divisional matchup in the 10-year history of the game. The only other time it happened: 2008, when the Giants hosted the Washington Redskins after defeating the New England Patriots in the previous Super Bowl. The game will be played at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday and will be broadcast by NBC. It's one day earlier than the usual Thursday date to avoid President Obama's nomination speech at the Democratic National Convention. Other marquee games will be announced before the official schedule release next month. Peyton Manning and the Broncos are reportedly in the mix to be featured on NBC's other Week 1 broadcast. Our guess: A playoff rematch with the Pittsburgh Steelers will be on Sunday night's premiere. Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports: • Dan Wetzel: Tim Tebow obviously was uncomfortable with the New York Jets' intro • Christian Laettner's shot among memorable tourney buzzer-beaters in NCAA history • Lateral Hazard: Tiger Woods dismantled Bay Hill field with precision
 

Thu 15 Mar 2012

Cowboys active in free agency despite cap penalty (The Canadian Press)

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The Dallas Cowboys are sticking to their plans in free agency, acquiring primary targets even after being penalized by the NFL with a salary cap reduction.
 

Thu 15 Mar 2012

Cowboys sign S Pool from Jets (Yahoo! Sports)

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Safety Brodney Pool signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, the team announced Thursday. Pool, who played for the New York Jets the past two seasons, was expected to play strong safety for the Cowboys. Head coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys had been interested in Pool for...
 

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