Notre Dame S Chinedum Ndukwe, drafted by the Bengals, on his new rival Brady Quinn (also his friend and roommate): "Brady's already talking smack about how he's going to beat us the times he plays us. He's already talking that junk, so we'll have to take care of that."
I'm not sure I can bring it upon myself to actually cheer for the Bengals, but I hope Ndukwe picks off Brady at least once. First he'll have to make the team, though; he was a seventh-round draft pick, I think.
Coach Mike Tomlin, on not only drafting a punter, but trading a sixth-round pick to move up seven slots to grab him: “That is a legitimate phase of football. We are going to put our money where our mouth is in regards to that. He is a left-footed punter and he punts it a great distance with great flight time. He is a very talented guy and we supported that all the way.”
I hate to say it, but I agree with him. Maybe not on blowing the sixth-round pick to trade up, but on taking a gamble with a fourth-round pick and selecting a punter. Against Baltimore, if you win the game of field position, chances are you're going to win the game. Current Steelers punter Chris Gardocki hasn't had a punt blocked in 17 years, which sort of makes him the Ray Lewis of punting. And with that sort of success in the punting game and an aging punter, you've gotta start thinking about the future. This new guy apparently boots the ball a mile and puts a weird spin on it, which makes it more difficult for returners to catch, apparently. That could be bad news for the Ravens (hopefully) newest kick returner, Kansas State WR Yamon Figurs, who apparently may suffer from occasionally slippery fingers.
Ohio State QB Troy Smith might've been Baltimore's sixth pick in this year's draft, but he's also the pick most likely to excite Ravens fans. We need something to look forward to for when Steve McNair retires. Forget that Troy Smith collapsed in the national championship game against Florida, during which he went 4-14 for 35 yards and a pick. He had a great career before then, including a great performance in a 42-39 win against Michigan in his second-to-last college game (29-41, 316 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT).
Watch this Heisman-hype video, a collection of Troy Smith's senior-year touchdowns (30 in the air, one on the ground). The video is complete with dramatic music and even a classy supernova fireworks explosion about 45 seconds in. Troy Smith was a steal with the 174th pick in the draft.
After more than 19 hours, 253 draft picks and 72 blog postings, the 2007 NFL Draft is finally over.
With the third-to-last pick in this year's NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Notre Dame S Nedu Ndukwe. I hope he gets cut; I don't want to have to learn how to spell his name. The Bengals had a very strong first day, getting the draft's best cornerback (Michigan's Leon Hall) and one of its more elusive running backs (Auburn's Kenny Irons). They continued to improve on day two, particularly on defense, and even got some insurance for Carson Palmer in Nevada QB Jeff Rowe. The Bengals are looking like the biggest threat to knock the Ravens from their AFC North perch.
The Browns end their draft with Arizona WR Syndric Steptoe, the second "toe" player taken by an AFC North team on day two, the first obviously being Cincinnati's Matt Toeaina. It has been a long day -- a long two days -- and most Browns fans probably didn't care who their team drafted at this point.
Throughout the past two days, the Browns got for themselves the draft's best tackle and a highly rated quarterback in Draft Day Baby Quinn, who like him or not, at least has the potential to turn around the franchise. I don't think he will, but the possibility exists. He'll face a lot of pressure, though, and he'll be on the hot seat as soon as next year's draft, when Browns fans are faced with the reality of having given up their first-round selection for a guy who may or may not pan out. It happened to Ravens fans with Kyle Boller, and it will happen with Draft Day Baby Quinn.
An all-around good 2007 NFL Draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They strengthened the pass rush, secondary and offensive line, and got themselves a tight end and even a punter, too. With the strength of the Bengals offense (and Baltimore's improved offense) it's not surprising to see Mike Tomlin & Co. focus so heavily on defense. They ended their draft with some offense: Florida WR Dallas Baker, whose biggest strength is his consistency. He could be good for Ben Roethlisberger, and Big Ben could be good for him.
LSU DE Chase Pittman is the pick. Pittman originally played at Texas and he put up decent numbers at each school, which means he isn't the product of a system. That usually results in a higher draft grade, but Pittman didn't even get an invite to the NFL Combine. The only reason he gets picked here is because he looked good at the Senior Bowl. He's a below-average pass rusher.
After Ohio State QB Troy Smith dropped to the Ravens at the final pick of the fifth round, I would have been OK with the Ravens selecting Paris Hilton with its sixth-round and final selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. At this point, GM Ozzie Newsome can do no wrong. Plus, Hilton could be a nice distraction for Kyle Boller during his lame-duck farewell tour. After this season, backup Boller will not be back.
But the Ravens didn't select Paris Hilton. Michigan OLB Prescott Burgess is the choice. Burgess isn't as versatile as you'd like, but he provides even more depth at the Ravens strongest position, linebacker, and he was the second-best linebacker on a great Michigan defense last year. Great move by a great front office, and ostensibly the end of this year's draft for Baltimore. Over the past two days, the Ravens got for themselves depth at two positions of need, offensive line and linebacker; they plugged holes at more immediate needs, including fullback and kick returner; and they built for the future with the fifth-round selection of Troy Smith at quarterback, a guy who five months ago I would've been happy to take in the first round.
Hawaii DE Melila Purcell was a three-year starter in college, but he's an average pass rusher. He's also the 200th pick in the draft.
New Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was just on ESPN talking about his first two draft picks.
Florida State OLB Lawrence Timmons: "great upside, young guy; scored three TDs last year as a linebacker, blocked a couple kicks."
Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley: "capable of providing edge pressure; high motor, hustler and hitter."
He dodged questions on veteran G Alan Faneca, who may refuse to play if he doesn't receive a new contract. He also was happy to get a punter from Baylor because, to paraphrase, there are a lot of opportunities to punt at Baylor.
With the 187th selection in the NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select... Oregon DT/DE Matt Toeaina. The Bengals have done a good job so far of improving on both sides of the ball, and Toeaina can play two different positions. He was a full-time starter for two seasons, but he doesn't make a ton of tackles.
Yes. Yes, yes, yes. The Ravens select Ohio State QB Troy Smith, who slipped to them at the bottom of the fifth round. The last pick. Some of the earliest mock drafts had the Ravens taking him at the bottom of the first round. But the Ravens remained patient, and in the meantime picked up a great guard, a hybrid guard-tackle, a guy who can return kicks and catch passes, and a fullback to replace Ovie Mughelli.
I love Smith's attitude, and even though he struggled at the very end of his career, he made some huge plays in big wins earlier in his career. A bunch of times. He won the Heisman trophy in a very difficult football conference for good reason. I am very happy with this pick. If it doesn't pan out, no big deal; it's the last pick in the fifth round. If it does work out, you have a solution at quarterback after McNair hangs 'em up, because Kyle Boller never was nor never will be the answer.
Two picks following Smith was Oklahoma LB Rufus Alexander, whom the Ravens may have also been targeting.
Louisville CB William Gay has good instincts, but can get beat deep. The Steelers are reloading on defense in a big way. New head coach Mike Tomlin is loving this.
Earlier this year I was in Vegas and was surprised to see that the Patriots were only 10-1 favorites to win the Super Bowl next year. And this was after they picked up former Ravens LB Adalius Thomas in free agency. Online, I heard the odds were 15-1. I thought they would be somewhere around 7-1, which is where they'll probably be now with Randy Moss on the team.
I don't care that he can be lazy. When he wants to play, he's awesome, and he'll want to play with Tom Brady, who is a big step-up from any quarterback with whom Moss has ever played. Even Culpepper back in his Minnesota prime. But I don't think they're the shoe-in favorite that today's hype is suggesting. There are still some great teams in the AFC. The Colts, Ravens and Chargers could all beat them. And Chicago is getting stronger in a weak NFC.
Detroit Lions GM Matt Millen, when asked about his tenure of losing, just said, and I'm paraphrasing, that you never look behind because you don't know who's gaining on you. Earth to Millen: The only team behind you is the Raiders. Detroit deserves better: its auto industry is in shambles and its football team isn't any better. That's why Barry Sanders called it quits in his prime. Detroit needs to step up and stop being a losing franchise.
Rutgers' women's basketball team may be the most-talked-about team at Rutgers this year, but its football team was the story last year. The Steelers chose Rutgers G Cameron Stephenson to help them pound the football, which is what Pittsburgh does best. Not a very sexy pick, but probably a smart one, especially in the AFC North.
Carson Palmer is clearly the man in Cincy, so the selection of Nevada QB Jeff Rowe is just insurance. You know, in case Pittsburgh decides to shred Palmer's knee again.
Memphis CB Brandon McDonald is a cousin of Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter, which means Browns fans should expect McDonald's knee to crumple by the third week of training camp, and that he'll continue to disappoint year after year.
The Ravens picked up a linebacker and a fullback: Florida International OLB Antwan Barnes and Alabama FB Le'Ron McClain. I was really hoping they'd draft a quarterback, specifically Ohio State's Troy Smith. But I've gotta trust Ozzie, and there's no doubt picking a fullback fills an immediate need following the departure of Ovie Mughelli. Also, linebacker depth is an issue. Ozzie knows what he's doing, so I'm not going to complain, but I will cross my fingers that Troy Smith keeps dropping. Or maybe Pittsburgh's Tyler Palko. The Ravens need an answer longterm at quarterback.
TCU FS Marvin White plugs another hole in the Bengals' secondary. Tough kid, difficult upbringing, used football to make his dreams come true, et cetera. He's avoided crime for this long, but that'll be even more difficult once he gets to Cincinnati, home of the NFL's longest rap sheet.
The Steelers took left-footed Baylor P Daniel Sepulveda, who sounds a lot like Chris Gardocki, who in 17 years with the Steelers has never once had a punt blocked. Ever. That is ridiculous. Every time the Ravens play the Steelers, I always find myself hoping that Ed Reed sneaks through and bats one down. I don't want Gardocki to retire with a clean record.
Later in the round they took Oklahoma State DE Ryan McBean. A defense-heavy draft so far for the Steel Curtain.
Just now, on ESPN: Brady Quinn said that there's little doubt in his mind that Wisconsin T Joe Thomas will be a Hall of Famer. What is he supposed to say, that Joe Thomas will be the next Robert Gallery? Thomas is a great prospect, and not only is he a better prospect than Quinn, he's more down to earth, too. Quinn spent yesterday sweating it out in the green room. Thomas spent his day fishing with his dad.
The Steelers picked up three guys who all fit Pittsburgh's mold. Florida State OLB and Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley will both put pressure on the quarterback, and Minnesota TE Matt Spaeth is a 6’7” bulldozer, apparently. New head coach Mike Tomlin is probably happy.
The Bengals picked up the cornerback they needed in Michigan’s Leon Hall. Hall’s stock dropped a bit because of a late-season collapse, but he was the best corner available and AFC North fans should be nervous with Hall in tiger stripes. Also, Auburn RB Kenny Hall is made to order for the Bengals offense. I like Kenny Irons.
The Ravens focused on their primary need, shoring up the offensive line. Auburn G Ben Grubbs will almost certainly start in place of former Steelers G Keydrick Vincent, who has been a disappointment. Iowa’s Marshall Yanda can play either guard or tackle, and is good insurance in case Ogden retires after this season or gets injured. The Ravens also got a guy who can return kicks: Kansas State WR Yamon Figurs, maybe the fastest player in the draft.
The Browns hit blackjack at #3 with Wisconsin T Joe Thomas and then let it ride by trading up to #22 to snag Notre Dame QB Draft Day Baby Quinn, a quarterback the Browns think will turn around the franchise. Browns GM and Ozzie Newsome protégé Phil Savage tries to match Ozzie’s 1996 draft, during which Oz landed two future Hall of Famers in the first round, Jonathan Ogden (#4) and Ray Lewis (#26). Or maybe he just felt sorry for Brady, who wanted nothing more than to be drafted #1 overall, and then hid in a private suite when it became clear he'd drop to the bottom half of the first round. The Browns also picked up UNLV CB Eric Wright in the third round.
The Bears got a nice steal late on the first day: Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe. At least it's a steal in my opinion. Lots of mock-drafters had him going in the fifth or sixth round. Not sure exactly where he fits in with the Bears, though. They already have the fastest man on the planet in Devin Hester, and the truth is that Wolfe is probably more likely a special-teams guy in the NFL, even though he never played special teams in college. Or maybe I see him more as a special-teams guy because that's where he would've fit if he'd been drafted by the Ravens; he could also be a change-of-pace back.
The wait for the selection of Stanford QB Trent Edwards is over. The quarterback who went 0-7 last year as a starter (and who also has injury concerns) was drafted by the Buffalo Bills. I understand that his supporting cast at Stanford was weak, but he had barely more than 1,000 yards passing all of last year, and still commentators gush over this guy's future. Particularly Ron Jaworski. Jaws is a very smart football guy, but I don't see the appeal of Edwards. And don't tell me he has great arm strength because, well, so does Kyle Boller.
Nice pickup in the third round by the New Orleans Saints: Akron G Andy Alleman.
The Ravens give up a few picks on day two to move up to the 86th overall selection, which they use to select Iowa G/T Marshall Yanda. Some Ravens fans grumble at the selection, wishing instead that the Ravens would take Trent Edwards, who they've now passed over twice in the third round. But I like Yanda, who provides depth and value on the offensive line. The Ravens offensive line will be anchored by Ogden for at least one more season, and there are no glaring holes to be filled in the near future (assuming Yanda plays tackle, not guard).
The Ravens don't have a ton of money to spend, so it was probably wise to dump some of tomorrow's picks in order to move up. And they still have four selections tomorrow. At least I think it's four. There have been so many trades today it's tough to keep up. But Yanda? I like Yanda.
Watch this killer highlight play featuring Yanda.
The Steelers draft Minnesota TE Matt Spaeth, a hard-nosed guy who has played through multiple shoulder injuries. He's big (6'7"), tough and can bowl over defenders, but he's not going to be a downfield threat. He sounds exactly like the kind of tight end you'd expect to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Delayed update on the Ravens third-round pick. Kansas State WR Yamon Figurs was unexpected, but I think it's a great pick. Figurs primarily will be a kick returner, which is something the Ravens need more than its fans would like to admit. Current return man B.J. Sams has two DWIs within the past year and may get suspended for a few games this upcoming season.
Figurs is absurdly fast, and even though I think speed is generally an overrated metric for football players, I don't think that's the case in the return game. I think this is an excellent pickup for the Ravens, who thankfully aren't buying into the Trent Edwards hype. The major knock on Figurs is his small size and sometimes questionable hands.
The Cardinals select Florida State LB Buster Davis, who might've been an attractive choice for the Ravens had he remained on the board for a few more picks. But it's probably good for Ravens fans that he's off the board now. There are two types of players I don't want playing in Baltimore: lazy guys and crazy guys. The Ravens have had enough legal trouble in the past, and I'm content with the criminal crown remaining in Cincinnati. That's not to say Davis is a bad character, but he has been accused of being lazy. And that desert heat doesn't exactly motivate you to work any harder.
To pick up Georgia DE Quentin Moses at the top of the third round is a nice draft-day coup for Al Davis. The 65th overall pick is not too early to select a guy who can improve an already great defense. The Raiders had a terrible record last year because its offense was atrocious. If you look at the numbers, they rarely were beaten by large margins.
In a way it's a relief that USC C Ryan Kalil was off the board. He would've been a very enticing choice here for Baltimore, who would've struggled to juggle its roster to accommodate another center; either that or current center Chris Chester would've had to play guard, a position for which there's also no room in the starting lineup. But that doesn't matter because Kalil was gone.
Looks like the Ravens have a trade: The Lions are now on the clock. I'm OK with this. I wasn't very excited about Stanford QB Trent Edwards, who very likely could've been the Ravens' selection had they stood pat with the 61st selection. The Detroit Lions selected Boise State FS Gerald Alexander. For the selection, the Lions gave up two picks in this year's draft: a high third-rounder and a high fourth-rounder.
Great news for Ravens fans. They'll have the second pick on day two of the NFL Draft. No more waiting six-plus hours. The Ravens' next selections will be the 74th and 101st picks in the draft. Note: The fourth-rounder is the Lions' original fourth-round selection , but the third-rounder is a selection that originally belonged to the Buffalo Bills, so it's the 10th pick in the third round.
The Carolina Panthers had a disappointing season last year, but the truth is they were more talented than their record. And they've had a great draft so far today. A great linebacker, great wide receiver and now a great center in USC C Ryan Kalil. Panthers fans should be very happy right now.
The Seahawks finally pick. After what feels like 109 hours, I believe they're the last team to make a selection. And it was a good one. Maryland CB Josh Wilson is popular with Ravens fans, many of whom follow Maryland football closely, and many of whom wanted Wilson to drop another five or six slots to the Ravens. I also think USC C Ryan Kalil would've been a great fit for Seattle, but plugging holes in the secondary is smart, too.
The Browns improved their offensive line in the first round with the draft's best tackle (Joe Thomas) and traded up for a guy in the second (Brady Quinn) who they think will be the answer at quarterback. And in the third round, the Browns traded up again to shore up the defense by snagging one of the two best remaining cornerbacks (the other being Maryland's Josh Wilson). The Browns gave up the their third- and fourth-rounders in this year's draft (and also swapped sixth-rounders) to secure Dallas' second-round pick.
UNLV CB Eric Wright has great talent, but he also allegedly gave the date-rape drug to an 18-year-old girl, and when the police raided his apartment, they allegedly found more than 100 ecstasy pills. Sounds pretty shady to me. The charges never stuck, but it did force Wright to transfer from USC to UNLV.
A surprise from GM Phil Savage, who probably buckled from pressure courtesy of coach Romeo Crennel. Crennel is on the verge of getting the axe, and he'll take talent any way he can get it. Savage might be on the hot seat, too, and all this trading up suggests an air of desperation. After all, as general manager, Savage is the one responsible for pulling the trigger.
I said before that I like Auburn RB Kenny Irons, but now that he's been drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the middle of the second round, I wish I could change my mind. But I can't. Irons is a good running back. But great running backs have struggled against the Ravens, so a good running back shouldn't worry Ravens fans. What should concern Ravens fans is a healthier Carson Palmer beating them deep. Even with Chris Henry suspended for half of the 2007-2008 season, the Bengals' passing game will be even better than last year.
Midway through the second round and the Jets pick Michigan LB David Harris, whom I was hoping would slip to the Ravens at the bottom of the second round. That's the breaks. He's a great player, one whom I've had my eye on since the beginning of this past season. He's undersized, but that's not a huge deal if you've got a good defensive line. If the Jets' defensive line can keep Harris free from blockers, he'll be very successful making plays in the AFC East.
New coach Mike Tomlin should be very happy with the team's first two picks: a strong linebacker and a quality pass rusher. Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley led the Wolverines in sacks each of the past two seasons. His presence can be minimized by bigger offensive linemen, but he's a gamer that will grind it out from the first to the final whistle. The Steelers are retooling on defense, which should make for some nice matchups next year with Baltimore, who is doing the same with its offense. Sort of. The Ravens aren't so much retooling an offense as they are trying to build a great one for the first time in team history.
USC WR Dwayne Jarrett is one of my favorite players in this year's draft. With fellow Trojans alum Keyshawn Johnson in town, Jarrett will feel at home in Carolina. He's not blazingly fast, but he has great timing and knows how to make plays. He knows how to control his body (a la Steve Nash from the NBA's Phoenix Suns). That's more important than being fast. Football is not a track meet, and 40-yard-dash times don't mean jack on Sundays. Besides speed, the only knock on Jarrett is that he's had some injuries. But if he can tough it out, he'll be fine. Better than fine.
Michigan State WR Drew Stanton may not be a great quarterback, but things will be a whole lot easier since he can throw to first-round selection (#2 overall) Calvin Johnson, who was widely regarded as the quote-unquote best player in this year's draft.
The Colts pick up Arkansas T Tony Ugoh, who is the best remaining tackle in the draft. Arguably the only tackle remaining worth drafting, which is disappointing for Ravens fans. The Ravens need to find depth on the offensive line because there is a very good chance that this is Jonathan Ogden's final season. It'll be interesting to see how the Ravens find this depth now that Ugoh is off the board.
The Colts traded up with the 49ers to get this pick, and with Anthony Gonzalez and Tony Ugoh, they're stacking the deck on offense. Indy loves its offense, but at some point you've got to wonder why they don't focus more on the defense. Michigan's David Harris would've been a great pick here.
Ohio State wide receivers usually end up being pretty good NFL players. And when Ohio State WR Anthony Gonzalez gets together with Peyton Manning, I wouldn't expect anything less than success. Then again, I could get four touchdowns a year playing for the Colts. Fortunately, the Colts defense is still suspect.
The first round of this year's NFL Draft was the longest in history -- about six hours and 15 minutes -- and I'm glad it's over. Blogging for 375 straight minutes is more tiring than I thought it would be. It was a good first round with no huge surprises, except maybe Brady Quinn dropping so far. And even that's debatable. I think a lot of the hype surrounding Quinn was because he played for Charlie Weis (overrated) and because the media wanted there to be two great quarterbacks. Everyone loves a competition for the #1 overall selection. But the truth is, Quinn is not top-5 great, and getting picked in the lower-half of the first round is not a huge surprise.
The Bears took Miami TE Greg Olsen. Why? Because Miami has a great track record with tight ends, and also because the Bears need to find a way to make QB Rex Grossman look good. The Bears are one of the worst Super Bowl runner-ups in recent memory, and a reliable tight end is a baby-step in the right direction. The Bears will get better, but they still won't be able to compete with the AFC, which is clearly the better conference: Colts, Chargers, Ravens, Patriots, and so on.
The Chargers don't have a lot of holes to fill, but LSU WR Craig Davis is a fast guy who runs good routes. Will he help the Chargers? Maybe. He's prone to injury and he's afraid to go over the middle, so it's a roll of the dice.
The selection of Auburn G Ben Grubbs means one thing: Chris Chester is definitely playing center for the Ravens next year. Otherwise I think the Ravens would've selected USC C Ryan Kalil, who pretty much is the only projected-starter center in this year's draft. I'll admit: Initially I was disappointed that the Ravens didn't take Texas G/T Justin Blalock, but I still love the pick. Grubbs will start immediately and the Ravens offensive line, from left to right, will look like this: LT Jonathan Ogden, LG Ben Grubbs, C Chris Chester, RG Jason Brown and RT Adam Terry.
Now the Ravens need to draft a tackle and a linebacker, the former to replace Ogden when he (maybe) retires next year and the latter to provide depth for a thinning linebacker corps. Throughout the rest of the draft, look for the Ravens to also pick up a cornerback. And maybe a quarterback. But this year's QB class is weak, and GM Ozzie Newsome is not the kind of guy to make picks for the sake of it.
If the Ravens could get Michigan LB David Harris or Arkansas T Tony Ugoh in the second round, that would be great news for the Ravens faithful. Thank you, Ozzie, for making another great pick for the Baltimore Ravens. It took nearly six hours to get here, but it was worth the wait.
The 49ers traded up to get a second first-round selection. They gave up this year's fourth-rounder and next year's first-rounder. Jumped right in front of the Ravens. Tsk, tsk, Mike Nolan. Wait your turn. Actually, I think it's great news for Ravens fans (and also Pats fans, who made the trade with the 49ers). The 49ers selected Central Michigan's T Joe Staley. The Ravens don't normally draft small-college guys near the top of the draft, but Staley's name was mentioned often as a possibility. I don't really care whether he's good or not; he grew up a Steelers fans, and I don't want Steelers fans on Baltimore's squad. I full realize that's irrational, but I don't care. I didn't want Joe Staley on the Ravens.
But I am glad the Niners picked Staley. He's a good offensive lineman. With him and Patrick Willis drafted in the first round of this year's draft, the San Francisco 49ers have made themselves a whole lot better in the last five hours and 40 minutes.
The New Orleans offense potentially just got a whole lot better with the selection of Tennessee WR Robert Meachem. Meachem is reported to have minor injury issues (shoulder and knee) but if he stays healthy, the New Orleans Saints will be adding a guy who knows how to make difficult catches. Strangely, he didn't seem that psyched to get picked by New Orleans. Who wouldn't want to go to the Big Easy and play with Reggie Bush and Drew Brees? Especially in an NFC that's so weak the Bears can make the Super Bowl?
He should be counting his blessings. And his money.
I'm glad the Cowboys picked Purdue DE Anthony Spencer because, frankly, the Ravens targeted him at #29 and I didn't want the Ravens to draft him. Not a knock on Spencer; I simply want the Ravens to draft offense. The Ravens offense is the only reason the Colts beat the Ravens last year. The only reason. The Ravens defense shut down Peyton Manning. But back to the 'Boys.
Anthony Spencer is a great player, and Joe Thomas, the Browns newly acquired tackle (#3 overall in today's draft), said Spencer was easily the best pass rusher he faced during his career. Jerry Jones, nice work.
The Cowboys traded with the Philadelphia Eagles, who received from Dallas second-round, third-round and fifth-round picks in this year's draft in exchange for the 26th overall pick.
Miami LB Jon Beason is a guy who as a Ravens fan I like. Admittedly it's mostly because he's from Miami (aka the home of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed). The knock on Beason is that he can't shed tackles. They said the same thing about Ray Lewis. That's not to say this guy will be the next Ray Lewis, but he's a fierce player nonetheless. The strength of Carolina's defense has always been its defensive line, and they should be able to keep guys from getting to the second level and manhandling Beason. Great pick.
The Patriots are the only team that started the first day with two first-round picks, which is unfortunate for other teams because if there's a team that doesn't need two first-round picks, it very well may be the Pats.
Miami S Brandon Meriweather is a surprising choice. He stomped a player during a fight in a game this year against Miami Florida International, and with an attitude like that, he'll be a target for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's increased scrutiny on thugs. Oh, in addition to stomping on a player's head, he also got in a bit of hot water for a gun-related issue. The police cleared him of any wrongdoing, but he did fire a gun at someone. Granted, he was firing at someone who just fired at his roommate, but is this a guy with whom you really want to take a risk? A very surprising choice by the Patriots, especially considering the quality of the linebackers and offensive linemen still available on the board.
The pundits on ESPN are praising the pick -- both issues were isolated! -- but would they be saying the same thing if it was the Bengals who picked Meriweather? Definitely not. Patriots bias, loud and clear. Great player, surprising choice.
LSU WR Dwayne Boye is a great selection for the Chiefs, who have a track record for opening up the passing game and being successful. Of course they'll need to find a successor to QB Trent Green, but for what it's worth, Boye is a great receiver.
Even though he might not be the fastest receiver on the block, speed is the most overrated attribute of NFL wide receivers. It's more important to run good routes, be courageous in the middle of the field and have good hand-eye coordination, all of which Boye can put down on his resume. USC WR Dwayne Jarrett might eventually be the better receiver, but either way it's a nice selection. Nice work, Kansas City.
Cowboys QB Tony Romo must have been sweating bullets when the 'Boys were on the clock. Speculation was that the Cowboys might draft QB Brady Quinn, who has fallen faster than things that fall really fast. Of course, if you took physics, you know everything falls at the same speed, wind resistance notwithstanding. But I digress.
Romo can breathe easily. The Cowboys traded with the Cleveland Browns, who did pick Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn. Quinn came to the podium with a #1 Browns jersey, but my friend Mike remarked that it should've been #2. Ha, so true. Ravens fans can rejoice: Brady Quinn will not be a Raven, and that is the only reason I like this pick.
Leading up to the draft, Quinn seemed more concerned with where he'd be drafted than anything else. He comes across as insecure, which is not what you want in a team leader. And during the draft, after he started sliding, he hid in a private suite offered by the league commissioner. Is this what you want in a quarterback? If he can't handle being a late-first round selection, how will he handle Terrell Suggs slamming him to the turf?
Everyone loves Quinn because he was coached by Charlie Weis, but Weis is overrated. Notre Dame wasn't good last year, and neither was Quinn. To move up in the draft, the Browns had to give up this year's second-round pick and next year's first-round pick. That is a lot to give up for a guy who seems to be an average NFL starter, at best.
After trading down from the 17th slot, the Jaguars get Florida S Reggie Nelson, who might be the best safety in the draft. Great pick for the Jags, and more tough news for Brady Quinn, who continues to fall and may even slip into the second round.
I really thought the Giants would take either a linebacker or an offensive lineman, but Texas S Aaron Ross was the pick. Ross is a good player, but I think he's a poor pick for the Giants. If they were going to go safety, they should have picked Florida S Reggie Nelson.
Texas S Michael Griffin is the selection. Considering the Titans defense was embarrassing last season, this is a good choice. The Titans can't afford to have an embarrassing defense. After Pacman Jones this off-season, they can't afford any embarrassments, period.
Before the draft, some Bengals fans wanted to draft Ted Ginn, Jr. and turn him into a cornerback. Not a good idea. They should be happy with Michigan CB Leon Hall, the second cornerback drafted in the first round. Hall's draft stock slipped in recent months, but he'll help the Bengals in because he doesn't have a track record for getting arrested, and because the Bengals defense is bad. Pretty much anything is an improvement at this point. Even Hall, who got lit-up by Troy Smith and Ohio State last season.
The Broncos swapped first-round picks with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who now have the 21st pick as well as the Broncos third-round and sixth-round selections. The Broncos pick Florida DE Jarvin Moss, who was pretty much personally responsible for destroying Troy Smith's draft grade. Moss embarrassed the Ohio State offense during the national championship game earlier this year. He is a beast, and this is a good selection for the Broncos assuming Moss, who failed a drug test in college, can stay out of trouble.
And, of course, Brady Quinn is still waiting to get picked. I almost feel sorry for him at this point. But not really.
Tennessee DT Justin Harrell is not immediately popular with Packers fans, most of whom have probably never heard of him. Harrell missed nearly all of last season with a torn triceps muscle. Without the injury, Harrell would've gone higher, and even though he might not be a sexy pick, he could very well be the smartest pick, similar to how the Ravens last year drafted DT Haloti Ngata with the #12 pick.
Florida State LB Lawrence Timmons is the second linebacker to go in the draft. He'll replace recently departed Joey Porter, who I'm happy to see leave the AFC North. Not because he's a formidable opponent, but because Porter is a jerk.
As an organization, the Steelers have a reputation for great defense. Smash-mouth defense. Which is exactly the type of player Timmons will be. He lacks instincts, but he'll make up for that in strength. Playing for Florida State, Timmons faced top competition and excelled. It'll help that he gets to play both the Browns and Ravens twice a season. The AFC North doesn't exactly have the NFL's best offenses.
This pick originally belonged to the Carolina Panthers, who traded back to the Jets. The Panthers gave up this pick along with the 199th pick (sixth round), which is the same pick the Patriots used to pick Tom Brady. In return, they get three of the Jets picks: first round (25th overall), second round and fifth round. That's a lot, but so is 11 slots in the first round.
The Jets pick the draft's first cornerback, Pittsburgh CB Darrelle Revis. A bit surprised this wasn't Michigan CB Leon Harris, who now might go to the Steelers. Revis is explosive, fast, has good instincts and nice hands, but too often gives up the short pass. Revis, have fun playing against Tom Brady, who is a master with the short pass.
I thought maybe the Rams would take Brady Quinn to replace the aging Marc Bulger, but the St. Louis Rams must believe what most mock-drafters refused to accept: Brady Quinn is overrated.
Nebraska DE Adam Carriker is the pick. One knock is that he doesn't have huge upside, which to me is a good thing. That means he's talented today. A defensive end who can explode off the line and pressure quarterbacks in the already unfriendly St. Louis dome.
I love the pick. Cal RB Marshawn Lynch in my opinion will be the best running back in this year's draft. And the Bills definitely need a running back after trading Willis McGahee to the Ravens. Plus, he has gold teeth, which will go over very well in blue-collar Buffalo.
I'm happy for the Bills. I grew up a Bills fan because Baltimore didn't have a team and both of my parents are from Buffalo. (Yes, I suffered through all four Super Bowl losses.) Plus, I live in San Francisco, so I like the Cal Bears. Marshawn Lynch is an exciting addition to the Bills, and hopefully the Bills can take down the Patriots. It would be nice to see a different team atop the overrated AFC East.
Mississippi LB Patrick Willis goes to the Niners. I'm glad he didn't slip to the bottom of the first round. After a few beers it would've been tough to spell Mississippi. He is the best linebacker in the draft, and former Ravens coach and current 49ers head coach Mike Nolan will be happy to have him. The 49ers made a great pick here, and I think the Niners will be a better team with Willis on its defense. The 49ers will make a strong push for the playoffs this year.
Last year the Texans blew it by picking former North Carolina State DE Mario Williams with the #1 overall pick, instead of picking Reggie Bush. And this year they chose a guy with great upside (red flag). Louisville DE Amobi Okoye. The guy is not even 20 years old. He'll be at the end of his rookie contract by the time he matures into the player the Texans want him to be. This guy's stock surged at the end of last season and during the Senior Bowl, but you wonder whether the Texans would've been better off picking an offensive lineman.
Brady Quinn wouldn't have made sense because the Texans recently got former Atlanta Falcons backup Matt Schaub. So Brady continues to fall. It's been reported that he just left the green room. Could he possibly slip to the Ravens at #29? Former Cal QB Aaron Rodgers slipped to #24. Anything is possible. Frankly, though, I'm not even sure I'd want the Ravens to draft Quinn.
Brady Quinn might actually start crying soon. The Dolphins picked Ohio State WR Ted Ginn, Jr. Brady Quinn was potentially a #1 overall pick, and mock-drafters said he'd go no lower than #9. Well, he will, and he could slip much further, the same way former Cal QB did a few years back. Mel Kiper Jr.'s head might explode. He can't believe the pick. I feel anywhere in the top 10 is pretty high to draft a wide receiver, but Ohio State does have a pretty good track record with receivers.
Brady Quinn is the drama of the draft so far, and I wonder if his girlfriend, who is sitting next to him at the draft, is watching the dollar signs shrink in her head. With every pick, Brady Quinn's future bank account is getting smaller. And smaller. And smaller.
Arkansas DE Jamaal Anderson. I get nervous when I hear the word upside. With the exception of quarterback, why draft a guy who won't blossom for a few years? He'll underperform until the rookie contract is up, and then you have to break the bank to make good on your draft-day investment. Anderson has been known to take off plays, and not give his full effort. The Falcons need a wide receiver, someone with great hands to compliment TE Alge Crumpler, who right now is Michael Vick's number-one target.
Vikings fans seem pretty excited with the pick. Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson is definitely an upgrade over Chester Taylor, but I'm not sure he'll be better than Cal RB Marshawn Lynch. Don't get me wrong, Peterson is a great talent, but he does have injury problems. He busted his shoulder last year and then re-injured it in last year's bowl game. If he can stay healthy, it's an awesome pick, but that's a big if.
LSU S LaRon Landry is the brother of Ravens S Dawan Landry, so LaRon being in Washington will makes things easy on the Landry family. The Vikings secondary is horrible, so they're probably disappointed that the draft's best safety didn't slip past the Redskins, who don't have another pick until the sixth round. Way to go, Dan Snyder.
Landry has great instincts, but he drops a lot of interceptions. You can teach someone how to read a defense, but it's tougher to teach someone to have surer hands. All things considered, Landry is a good pick for the Redskins. The Redskins defense is definitely below average, but team Landry with former Auburn CB Carlos Rogers and it's headed in the right direction.
The fifth pick in the draft is too high to draft Penn State T Levi Brown. The Cardinals should have picked Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson, who despite health concerns is a better choice than Brown. Peterson is a big improvement over current running back than Edgerrin James, who has never really come back fully from his busted knee.
James is old, and poor offensive-line play is not solely to blame for James' drop-off in production. The offensive line is bad but it's time to think about replacing James, the same way the Ravens should've thought about replacing Jamal Lewis after his monster 2003 season. The Cardinals would've been able to get a good offensive lineman at the top of the second round. Bad pick.
And Brady Quinn keeps on falling. Clemson DE Gaines Adams is the pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who reportedly smoke-screened an interest in Quinn all morning. The Buccaneers defense, traditionally strong, has slipped in recent years. Picking the top-rated defensive end is a good way to turn things around. Great pick for the Bucs.
Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas is exactly whom I was afraid the Browns would take. Former Ravens GM Phil Savage is a smart guy, smart enough to know that oft-injured running backs are a dime a dozen and that Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn is overrated. Thomas will be a great player for the Browns, and as a Ravens fan I was really hoping they'd make a mistake with this pick. But they didn't.
GM Matt Millen has used four of his past five draft picks -- all top 10 selections, mind you -- on wide receivers. Including this year's pick: Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson. And most of 'em have been busts. Immediately before the pick, it was tough to tell whether Johnson was crying tears of joy or sadness.
Everyone says Johnson is a can't-miss prospect, but that's been said before (remember Robert Gallery?) and the truth is, while he may be a great receiver, the draft is deep with talent at wide receiver and #2 overall is too high for C.J.
No surprise here. The Raiders take LSU QB JaMarcus Russell. He has great arm strength; then again, so does Ravens backup QB Kyle Boller. Reportedly JaMarcus has all the tools to be successful and is the kind of guy you can build a franchise around, but the question is whether or not he can be successful on the Raiders, who have the worst offense maybe in the history of organized athletics.
Just received a text message that the Ravens resigned DT Kelly Gregg to a four-year extension (through 2011). Great move. It blows my mind that he wasn't a Pro Bowl selection last year. The guy is a beast.
An article from today's Baltimore Sun debates whether or not Ravens LT Jonathan Ogden will return to the team next year. His other option is of course retirement. Ogden has promised to make a decision before this weekend's NFL Draft (also known to hardcore NFL fans as Christmas).
If Ogden retires, his Hall of Fame countdown will begin immediately. But he won't retire. Ogden's brother has reportedly said that he'll be back. As for hearing from Ogden himself? I think, at this point, no news is good news. But either way Ravens fans will know before Saturday morning, which is when the Raiders will be on the clock with the draft's #1 overall selection.
An article from Pro Football Weekly details injury concerns for this year's draft class. Surprisingly, not very many big names. Actually, not very many names at all. South Carolina WR Sidney Rice has bad shoulders. Cal RB Marshawn Lynch has a weird back issue that may or may not be a big deal. Florida DT Ray McDonald doesn't have an ACL in one of his knees, which has dropped him off the draft board of some teams. And so on.
The only name that will really jump out at Ravens fans is Tennessee G Arron Sears, who has arthritis in one of his knees, though it's not expected to impact him too greatly. Interestingly, Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson is not listed.
Andy Alleman, G, Akron: Expected to be a day-one pick, Alleman recently said "Baltimore would be a natural fit for me." He reportedly needs to improve his footwork, but he plays with a mean streak that lasts until after the whistle blows, and he's explosive. The University of Pittsburgh transfer also said, "I've been watching guys like Ray Lewis for years, and it would be an honor to play there." Also, playing for Baltimore means not having to play against its defense, except in practice.
That sounds like a guy the Ravens could use in the trenches. Alleman began his career as a defensive end at Pitt, which means that footwork isn't the issue, but more likely footwork specific to offensive guard, which he's only played for two years.
During the Ravens first-ever draft its director of college scouting and current Browns GM Phil Savage argued strongly against what owner Art Modell was considering: drafting Nebraska RB Lawrence Phillips instead of UCLA LT Jonathan Ogden. Phillips had a history of serious domestic violence. Apparently, Savage was the exclamation point on the argument, with which Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome also agreed. The team of course drafted Ogden, who if he decides to retire, a decision that he'll make before next weekend, will be on the fast track toward Canton. Hall of Fame, no question. And all without ever once dragging a woman by her hair down a flight of stairs.
Would the Browns consider taking Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson with the third-overall pick next weekend? The Browns have a couple of good targets in TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. and WR Braylon Edwards, so wide receiver isn't the biggest of needs, but Johnson's talents are hard to overlook.
But he recently admitted to drug use, which could give Savage and his track record for caring about character enough reason to steer clear, particularly given the NFL's recent crackdown on player conduct. Or another way to look at it is this: The fact that Johnson is honest about his past shows good character. After all, isn't honesty the best policy? Especially when it's 6'5", runs a 4.35 40-yard dash, and has nearly four feet (45") of vertical leap.
NFL defenses are ranked by the number of yards allowed, which is an incomplete barometer. Often, the team with its defense ranked #1 doesn't really have the league's best defense. But last year defensive coordinator Rex Ryan led the Ravens to the number-one overall defense with regard to yards allowed, and in this case I think the barometer was right on the money. With even a hint of offense, the Ravens could've beaten Colts last year in the playoffs. The defense had Peyton Manning locked down.
Ryan was considered for the Chargers head coaching job this offseason (though he never really appeared to be a top candidate) and if the Ravens defense is again up to snuff, he'll probably get some more consideration next year. The good news for Ravens fans is that despite Baltimore's tradition of defense and a track record for developing assistants into head coaches (Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Mike Nolan) it generally takes the league a while to warm up to the prospect of hiring its assistants, and usually it feels like they get to stick around in Baltimore for one year more than you'd expect. So since I expect Ryan to be hired after next season, it'll probably be more like two. Which is great timing, considering the Ravens just rewarded Ryan with a two-year extension (about $1M-$1.2M per) making him one of the league's highest-paid defensive coordinators.
An article in today's Cincinnati Enquirer talks about increased scrutiny of NFL conduct and the resulting focus on personal character at the upcoming NFL Draft. Two years ago in the third round the Bengals drafted West Virginia WR Chris Henry, who has played very well on the field but faired poorly elsewhere. Last year, Henry allegedly committed four crimes and was arrested on four different occasions (in three different states). Next year, he will miss 8 games. Suspended.
The Bengals knew when drafting Henry that there may be issues; he had a checkered past, so to speak. Head coach Marvin Lewis now says that the team can't afford to take the same risks anymore. But if Florida DE Jarvin Moss slips to the second round when the Bengals are on the clock with the 18th-overall selection, he might be tough to pass up. Or what if somehow he slips to them in the second round at the 49th pick? He's nasty, and he walked all over the Ohio State Buckeyes in last season's national championship game. But he also failed a drug test.
No one really knows just exactly how cautious GMs and owners will be in response to new NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's promise to punish heavily conduct detrimental to the league. It would be interesting to be inside Cincinnati's draft room with the Bengals on the clock and Moss available. They need desperately to plug holes on its defense if they want it to even near the strength of its offense, which is probably the best in the AFC North and will be even stronger now that QB Carson Palmer has had an extra year to heal his busted knee.
With the number-three-overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, the Browns will have their choice of most any player. Despite signing former Bengals G Eric Steinbach, a nice off-season addition, the Browns still need help on the offensive line -- as does pretty much every team -- and Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas might make sense. Or Joe Thomas might be the next Robert Gallery.
What's more pressing is the running back situation -- Jamal Lewis may be a nice stopgap, but is definitely not a longterm solution -- and what is probably most pressing is the quarterback situation. The question is not whether or not the Browns need a longterm solution at quarterback, it's whether or not Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn is the right guy. Quinn is the newest poster-boy for "can't win the big game," but that's also what they said about Peyton Manning coming out of Tennessee.
Many Browns fans want Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson, who has said publicly he wants to play for the Browns. Peterson might be the safest bet of the three, but I can't help but think that Cal RB Marshawn Lynch might be the better pro.
Longtime Steelers G Alan Faneca skipped the first day of voluntary mini-camp yesterday, leaving Steelers fans guessing whether he just wants more money, or whether he's disillusioned over the changing of the guard and departures of key Steelers over the past couple seasons (e.g., Bettis, Cowher, Porter).
My guess is that it's a little bit of both, but mostly the former. Of course, it could be neither. Faneca wasn't technically required to attend, but most veteran leaders on teams who should be playoff-caliber probably would. The fact is, Faneca might holdout through training camp unless he gets a new contract. Quality offensive line talent is thin, and Faneca wants another payday. And who can blame him; he's been a key part of the Pittsburgh running game for nine seasons (starting 16 games in seven of those seasons, and 15 in both of the other two).
QB Ben Roethlisberger and coach Bill Cowher may have won a Super Bowl together, but here's what the quarterback had to say about his retired coach: "Our relationship wasn't great because he was here before I got here, and I was just a young kid."
The context: Roethlisberger said this yesterday at the first day of the Steelers voluntary mini-camp after he was asked what he though about his relationship with new coach Mike Tomlin, about whom he had this to say: "Coach Tomlin and I are rookies together in a sense so I think we will have a better relationship."
Sounds somewhat like a knock on Cowher, but it was more likely meant to be an endorsement for Tomlin, a we're-in-this-together sort of thing. At least that's what I'd hope, considering Roethlisberger is not as good of a quarterback as Cowher is a coach.
Garrett Wolfe, RB, Northern Illinois: The little guy from Northern Illinois (5'7", 177 lbs.) put up some gaudy numbers last season, though he was often hit or miss: 353 rushing yards vs. Ball State; 45 on the ground vs. Temple. It's hard to forget his first game of the year, though, against the Ohio State Buckeyes, when he racked up nearly 300 all-purpose yards (171 on the ground).
I was secretly a bit happy when he pulled up lame with a bad hamstring during Senior Bowl practice earlier this spring. His draft stock maybe took a dip, making it more likely that the Ravens will be able to pick up this guy late in the draft with one of their many second-day picks (four compensatory picks). He'd be a great fit on special teams, even more so considering current return man B.J. Sams has as many career return touchdowns as he does DWIs (two).
Take a look at this guy and tell me you don't want him returning kicks.
Kenny Irons, RB, Auburn: Kenny comes from Auburn, which has an impressive running-back track record: Bo Jackson, Rudi Johnson, Cadillac Williams, Ronnie Brown, et al. And football runs in his family. His brother David also played at Auburn, where he was a starting cornerback. I don’t care if Kenny’s had injury problems. Jamal Lewis proved coming out of Tennessee that injuries can be overcome. Prison's another story, though.
I wouldn't mind seeing the Ravens grab Kenny if he's around at the end of the second round, but they he do, Kenny will need a new number because Willis McGahee already wears #23. I don't think RB is necessarily the team's greatest need, or even its second-greatest need, but if he's the best player available...
Check out this highlights reel of Kenny last year. Game clips start at about the 35-second mark.
I read on a message board that these are pictures of the inside of Ray Lewis' house. I have no idea whether or not it's true, but houses like that in Baltimore don't grow on trees, so it wouldn't surprise me if it was true.
What would surprise me is Ray allowing a renovator to post pictures of his house online; granted, they don't specifically say it's Ray's house, but still... I know a guy who did some work on Cal Ripken Jr.'s house and Cal wouldn't even let him talk about it commercially, let alone post pictures. For privacy issues, it seems like a no-brainer, but who knows, maybe it is Ray's place?
Whether or not Ravens LT Jonathan Ogden retires will dictate where fellow Ravens tackle Adam Terry will play next year, according to today's Baltimore Sun. If Ogden retires, Terry will play on the left side, where last year he filled-in for an injured Ogden for the season's final two games, during which he played well, putting the brakes on former Steelers LB Joey Porter. If Ogden returns, he will hold down the fort on the left side, and Terry will shift to the right side.
Adam Terry has never played RT: not at any level, anywhere. He'll need to step up his run-blocking, but regardless he should be fine. Playing LT, which for two games he showed he could do well, is typically more difficult than playing RT because at LT you're protecting the quarterback's blindside -- assuming the QB is right-handed -- which means you're facing the other team's best pass rushers on the left. Something you don't have to worry about on the right.
Ogden has promised the organization that he will make his retirement decision before the upcoming NFL Draft (April 28-29). Regardless of what he decides, though, smart money says the Ravens will be looking long and hard at available offensive linemen when they're on the clock with the 29th pick. With stronger run-blocking last year (or a better running back, depending upon whom you ask) the Ravens would've stood a much better chance at beating the Colts and winning a second Super Bowl.
During the past four years, the Bengals have had four different players start at middle linebacker, none of whom started more than a season's worth of games combined. The Bengals may have the AFC North's most explosive offense, but besides the Browns, they've got the most suspect defense. And also the most suspect organization with regard to hiring criminals, and that's saying a lot considering former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis once spent four months in federal prison, and LB Ray Lewis pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
The Bengals last year drafted LB Ahmad Brooks in the NFL Supplemental Draft, and he started about a third of the team's games last year at middle linebacker. Brooks wasn't available during the regular draft because he had anticipated returning to the University of Virginia, but unfortunately for Brooks the Cavaliers had different ideas, and they booted Brooks off the team for behavioral issues.
Brooks will compete for the starting job this year with a couple other guys. There's an article today in the Cincinnati Enquirer, but interestingly it doesn't focus heavily on Brooks' off-the-field issues, and instead focuses more on his talent, which is a moot benefit if he can't stay out of trouble. This wouldn't even be a story, and Brooks may not even be a Bengal, if the guy who was supposed to have played middle linebacker last year (Odell Thurman) didn't get suspended for the entire year for, yep, you guessed it: off-the-field issues.
With a heightened focus on players' behavior expected this year, the Bengals would be wise to stop wasting draft picks on guys with attitude problems.
Yesterday the Akron Beacon Journal reported that the Browns signed former Ravens FB Alan Ricard to a one-year deal. Ricard hasn't really played football in two years (0 games last year, 2 the year before) but he was Jamal Lewis' FB during Jamal's monster 2003 season, during which he ran for more than 2,000 yards, including 295 yards (a single-game NFL record) against, yep, the Browns.
Alan played well during his five years with the Ravens, and I'm guessing the Browns didn't have to pay him all that much, so all things considered I think this is a good move for Cleveland.
According to this morning's Baltimore Sun, GM Ozzie Newsome yesterday hinted that the Ravens may take a QB with the team's first selection (29th overall pick) in this year's NFL Draft. Sounds like a smokescreen to me. The top two QBs in the draft will be gone by then, and hype surrounding the other QB prospects doesn't suggest that those guys would go as high as 29. Then again, Tom Brady was drafted with the 199th overall selection, so hype is just that: hype.
But it's more likely that the Ravens will select an offensive lineman, and the article breaks down the likely suspects into two camps: 1) those who have or are planning to meet with the team, and 2) others the Ravens may be interested in.
1) Have met or will meet with the Ravens:
Justin Blalock, G/T, Texas
Arron Sears, G/T, Tennessee
Tony Ugoh, G/T, Arkansas
2) Others the team may be interested in:
Joe Staley, T, Central Michigan
Ryan Kalil, C, California
Ben Grubbs, G, Auburn
Marshal Yanda, T, Iowa
"The perception heading into the NFL Draft this year is that the Browns' offense needs help while the defense does not."
That's a quote from a story in the Akron Beacon Journal.
Are you serious? The defense doesn't need help? The Browns' defense? The article continues by pointing out a number of reasons why the Browns defense does in fact need a lot of help. And, unfortunately for Browns fans, not all of the above quote is ridiculous: The Browns need help on offense as well, and they might get it in the form of Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson, who, according to Sports Illustrated's resident windbag, Peter King, says he'd love to play in Cleveland.
Peterson on Cleveland: "I would love it there. The fans in Cleveland are the closest to college fans in the NFL. I love the Dawg Pound. I think I can be a franchise back and really help the Browns turn it around.''
This past weekend I caught a few minutes of the Amsterdam Admirals and the Frankfurt Galaxy game. Each team features two players whose rights are owned by Baltimore: QB Drew Olson (UCLA) and TE Rob Abiamiri (Maryland) on Amsterdam, and LB Jimmy Cottrell (New Mexico State) and DE Kenny King (Alabama) on Frankfurt.
Frankfurt won the game 30-14, and Olson finished his NFL Europe (or "NFL Europa," as it's now called) debut with pretty good stats: 22 of 35 (63%) with two touchdowns and two picks. And a fumble, hopefully caused by either King or Cottrell.
During the few minutes I saw, Olson completed a key third down and threaded the needle down the middle. He looked poised, more so than another Ravens QB who hails from California and who shall remain nameless (or not: Kyle Boller).
Mike Preston's article from this morning's Baltimore Sun talks about the Ravens schedule and its (rumored) targeted draft prospects, particularly at quarterback, a position at which the Ravens have no clear successor to Steve McNair.
Preston thinks the Ravens covet Oregon State QB Matt Moore more than the other prospects whose Pro Day workouts they've attended.
An article this week in the Akron Beacon Journal names, in order, the top 5 players on the Browns. Before reading the article, I came up with TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. and RB Jamal Lewis, the latter of whom only made the list because I'm biased in favor of former Ravens.
Jamal didn't make the cut, but former Ravens punter Dave Zastudil did. Yes, a punter. Perennial bottom-dwellers, the Browns don't have a lot to look forward to except the third pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
The Steelers have five prime-time games this season, including three at home. That's a lot of love for a team that couldn't muster a winning record last year (8-8). Two of those home games are on Monday night, one against the Ravens (Nov. 5) and another on Nov. 26 against the Dolphins, who have a new linebacker named Joey Porter.
Porter, who spent his first eight years in the league with Pittsburgh before signing with the Dolphins this off-season, has promised that during his return to Steel City that he will take care of some "unfinished business," or something equally lame. As a Ravens fan, it's easy to dislike Porter: He's beefed with Ray and taken a cheap shot at Heap, each of which alone are enough to put him in Charm City's crosshairs.
The NFL today released its schedule. Initial thoughts:
What I like
1) Opening the season in Cincinnati. There was some grumbling that the game should have been played in Baltimore, that it's unfair for the defending AFC North champion to open up on the road on Monday night against a division rival, but if the Ravens sneak out of there with a win, then the pressure immediately is on Cincinnati.
2) The first quarter of the season. Two of the Ravens first three games are at home, and two of the first four are against weak teams (Arizona and Cleveland). Last year we started out with a weak schedule, and it helped us get our feet wet before the real competition came along.
3) Week 5 in San Francisco. Because I live in San Francisco. I've been here for years, and it's about time the Ravens showed up. Fortunately no one in San Francisco cares about football, so tickets will be easy to come by. If you're thinking about a road trip this season, I recommend the Bay Area. Junkyard of a stadium, but you can enjoy the game without getting hassled.
4) Week 9 on the road against Pittsburgh. On Monday night. The Ravens will be coming off a bye; the Steelers will be coming off a road game against Cincinnati.
What I don't like
Weeks 12 through 14. On the road against San Diego, and then at home against the Patriots and then the Colts, both of which are scheduled to be nationally televised games. (I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chargers game moved to Sunday night, either.) Regardless of whether they play on the road or at M&T, that is a brutal three-game stretch.
The Ravens have never beaten the Patriots. It'd be nice to do it this season, but a contest sandwiched between the Chargers and the Colts is not the easiest way to go about it.
Yesterday the NFL's new commissioner, Roger Goodell, suspended Bengals WR Chris Henry for the first eight games of the 2008-2009 season. Because the Bengals have their bye week within the first eight games, Henry won't miss his eighth game until the ninth week, which means he'll miss nine paychecks, and not eight. Nine is a bad number for both Chris Henry and the Bengals, which had nine of its players arrested in a nine-month span.
Henry himself has been arrested at least four times, been benched twice, and already served a two-game suspension last year. He will lose about $230,000 in pay, which is roughly about $58,000 for each time he's been locked-up.
The off-season started painfully, with 70,000 of Ray Lewis' closest friends pouring out of M&T Bank Stadium after the Colts mopped the floor (15-6) with the Ravens in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.
Jamal to Cleveland; Willis to Baltimore
Longtime favorite RB Jamal Lewis was released, then offered a new contract to return at a significant discount. He declined. Jamal instead signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, leaving a hole in the Ravens roster that The Oz would eventually fill by trading with Buffalo for RB Willis McGahee, but not before LB Adalius Thomas also skipped town to join Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.
Adalius Thomas
Thomas had been with the Ravens since 2000, and even though he rode the pine back then, he did pick up a Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XXXV, and he very well could pick up another in New England, where Belichick is likely to get as much production out of the versatile Thomas as did the Ravens. He'll be missed, but Baltimore had four Pro-Bowl LBs last year, so losing one is not really a huge deal.
In Oz We Trust
McGahee cost the Ravens a few draft picks -- third-rounders this year and next, and a seventh-rounder this year -- but the team has little cap space, which when combined with the fact that the NFL awarded the Ravens four compensatory picks (for free agents lost last year) in this April's NFL Draft, the truth is, GM Ozzie Newsome couldn't have afforded to sign all the players he could've drafted anyway.
Outlook for next season
The McGahee deal doesn't mortgage the future, which is not surprising considering that The Oz and owner Steve Biscotti have both said they want to develop a franchise that's a contender every single year. If the Ravens are going to contend this year, it's going to come down to three things: staying healthy on both sides of the ball, shoring up the offensive line, and hoping that Willis McGahee runs wild, which may or may not depend on whether LT Jonathan Ogden retires.
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