2013-2014 NFL thread

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**curran12**

gorgon wrote:
So for those of you with teams potentially interested in Johnny Football, here's one scout's take. As I said earlier, pro scouts seem higher on the guy than you'd think.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Breaking-down-Johnny-Football.html

I honestly don't get the praise for Manziel. He is absolutely a talent on the field, but I would think that his questionable maturity and definitely off the field baggage would draw people away.

I'm sensing Ryan Leaf 2.

**gorgon**

Perhaps, but that risk doesn't really scare teams away as draft history has shown. It seems like a simple maturity thing, and how many of us wouldn't have partied if we were 21 and in his shoes?

It seems like the kid cares and works at his game. He seems to come from a good family. And he comes from money, so you think he probably isn't one of those guys who'll blow it all. A drug problem would be a major red flag, but I haven't read anything about that.

Ryan Leaf is the all-time great example of a talent gone bust, but that's also because he had an all-time great thin skin, bad attitude and head full of bad wiring. Lots of guys are NFL busts and *don't* end up in drug rehab, serving prison time for burglary, etc.

**Alfndrate**

helgrenze wrote:
Alfndrate wrote:
Joe Banner has stepped down as Browns CEO, Mike Lombardi has been let go, and Assistant-GM Ray Farmer has been promoted to GM.

Is that promotion a good thing?

Id say it's a good thing. Farmer was hired last year to be Lombardi's assistant and do the actual finding of talent. Former NFL player, Dustin Fox (who is a sports radio host in Cleveland now) picked Ray's brain during the senior bowl, apparently Ray knows what he's doing.

**gorgon**

Those moves may or may not be good, but it's hard to see the Browns as anything but in total disarray. They fired a HC after one year, let his people hire a new HC, then fired them. Which means the new HC isn't really the new GM's guy either, so the clock is probably already ticking.

And Haslem said he wanted to run the Browns like the Steelers! Ha!

**whembly**

gorgon wrote:
Those moves may or may not be good, but it's hard to see the Browns as anything but in total disarray. They fired a HC after one year, let his people hire a new HC, then fired them. Which means the new HC isn't really the new GM's guy either, so the clock is probably already ticking.

Let's hope he really wants the 2nd overall pick.

**helgrenze**

I guess Manziel thinks he is 'that'good'...

Johnny Manziel essentially is daring the Texans not to pick him in the upcoming NFL Draft. If he falls to a division rival such as the Jaguars instead, who have the third overall pick, Manziel suggested he'd have more motivation to make the Texans regret that choice.

"It would be the worst decision they've ever made," Manziel told the Houston Chronicle. "I'd be in the same division playing against them twice a year. Sorry, but you just turned that chip on my shoulder from a Frito into a Dorito."

Manziel has made it clear he wants to be a Houston Texan. He wants to be the number-one overall pick. He wants to stay in his home state of Texas and play with such Texans stars as Andre Johnson, J.J. Watt, and Brian Cushing.

"I want them to say absolutely, without a doubt, with 100 percent certainty, that I'm who they want," Manziel said in the Chronicle report.

"I want everybody from the janitor at Reliant Stadium, to the front office executive assistant, all the way up to Bob McNair to say, 'This kid is 100 percent, can't miss. This is who we want being the face of our program. We want the Texas kid staying in Texas and leading the Texans.'"

**ironicsilence**

While I completely approve of him dropping a Dorito reference....as a texans fan I want no part of him on the team. I think hes at best the 3rd or 4th best QB in the draft class

**helgrenze**

NFL roundup: Salary cap up to $130 million for 2014

The NFL salary cap is projected to be about $130 million in 2014, up 5 percent from $123 million last year, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday.

The figure is higher than teams were expecting, which will provide some relief for cap-strapped organizations such as the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints.

Teams have until March 11 to get under the cap. Some teams have already started cutting players to create cap savings, as the Detroit Lions did last week in cutting safety Louis Delmas and wide receiver Nate Burleson and the Saints parting ways with linebacker Jonathan Vilma, safety Roman Harper, cornerback Jabari Greer and defensive end/outside linebacker Will Smith.

**gorgon**

Jadeveon Clowney just ran unofficial times of 4.47 and 4.48 in the 40.

**whembly**

gorgon wrote:
Jadeveon Clowney just ran unofficial times of 4.47 and 4.48 in the 40.

Now I'm sure that if the Texan go QB, the RAMs will be trading with Atlanta.

**helgrenze**

So last time I checked, the Dallas Cowboys are entering Free Agency with a whopping sum of....... $2 million in cap space.
That's not even enough for their draft picks... They have #16 in the first round..... they won the coin toss over the Rams. At least that's a positive.

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

So Free Agency is upon us

Spoiler:

I think the Raiders should be really upset with both Veldheer & Houston leaving
Cleveland trading for revis could be interesting

**Alfndrate**

Hlaine, add LB Karlos Dansby to the list of people signed by the Browns

**iproxtaco**

Losing Big Red and C McD' was disappointing, but I'm extremely happy Michael Bennett is staying with the Seahawks.

**Piston Honda**

Pats lose Jones and Talib?

Damn they just got shafted in the offseason again.

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

Oakland managed to completely shaft themselves
$68 Million in cap space and they still couldn't resign Houston, Veldheer and Rashard Jennings.

**helgrenze**

Philly signed Chris Maragos and Malcolm Jenkins, released Chung.
They retained punter Jones.

And just how have Oakland and Cleveland managed to have nearly half of their cap available... poor management?

**Chancetragedy**

So after watching Denver scoop up all our players and make a run at the free agency Super Bowl the patriots make a splash of their own kind of.

Darrelle revis is now a patriot for at least 2014

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Now if only we can get Walter Thurmond and Jared Allen I will be PUMPED!

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

Jared Allen has been linked with Chicago & Seattle: in addition to him stating he'll walk away if he doesn't get the deal he wants which would indicate Belichick wouldn't go for him.

**Chancetragedy**

A guy can dream! Don't tread on me bro ;p

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

Can't let Patriots' fans get too excited if I can

That being said Lovie Smith seems to not want to win anything in Tampa having already decided on his starting QB but hasn't realised that he doesn't bring Trestman or Alshon Jeffery with him

**Chancetragedy**

No he only has Vincent Jackson and they have mike Williams still right? Is Vincent Jackson still with Tampa?

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

They're both still there but Mike Williams was on IR for a period last year

**Piston Honda**

Lol revis.

The guy is a cancer.

He'll be asking for more money by time training camp starts.

**Chancetragedy**

We'll see the dude is still a talent still. And the not like talib wasn't considered a cancer as well before coming to the patriots.

**whembly**

wut? Roger Saffold failed his physical in Oakland?

Not sure how he has a bum shoulder if he can still bench press 400 lbs. o.O

Hopefully the Rams can re-sign him now.

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

Apparently it was partly buyers remorse that triggered the failed physical (Since the Raiders med staff set the test) and he plans to re-sign with the Rams.
Eric Decker to the Jets makes sense to me:
- Decker wants to prove he can be a #1 receiver with Manning around
- The Jets desperately need a talented wideout
What doesn't make sense is Carolina cutting Steve Smith, it saves them nothing in cap space and are saying he would be disruptive in the locker room

EDIT:
Also if this image is who the browns are chasing I feel sorry for them, spoilered for size

Spoiler:

Who would actually want Rex Grossman on their roster?

**Alfndrate**

That wasn't the Browns Free Agent or Draft Board, the room is the Web Media room, and it's a list of players that Browns want film highlights compiled on.

The "War Room" as it's called is on the second floor of the Browns facility, it has a shut and locked door with no windows. While that would have been the most Cleveland thing ever, it wasn't. You all can go back to making fun of other teams for now.

As for the half their cap space available comment, please tell me what talent the Browns had on their roster that warranted us needing to spend our Cap? Certainly not on Brandon Weeden... The Browns are sitting pretty this off season. They still have to find a way to attract players to Cleveland, but they're at least stepping in the right direction (i.e. away from anything to do with Joe Banner).

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

I quite liked D'Qwell Jackson but Dansby was a good replacement at least over the short term, not a big of Whitner though

**gorgon**

Hlaine Larkin mk2 wrote:
Apparently it was partly buyers remorse that triggered the failed physical (Since the Raiders med staff set the test) and he plans to re-sign with the Rams.
Eric Decker to the Jets makes sense to me:
- Decker wants to prove he can be a #1 receiver with Manning around
- The Jets desperately need a talented wideout

People throw around the "#1 receiver" tag a lot, but what does that really mean? Production? If that's the case, sure, I think he's #1 WR-caliber.

Personally, I think a #1 receiver needs to *change coverages*. By that definition, I don't think Decker's a #1. *shrug* But he can be a productive guy for the Jets, even if Geno Smith isn't exactly an All-Pro. Look at the numbers Josh Gordon put up playing for the Browns with that stable of QBs.

I might be the only one who thinks this, but while the Broncos' spending spree has been impressive, I'm not convinced that it puts them over the hump.