What the Raiders did is perplexing to me, but it was the only way to get a starting quarterback. Look, I don't think any team wants to start Kyle Boller right now, and the Raiders were out of options. Everybody knew they had to overpay, but a first rounder is far too much for a below-average quarterback. Palmer isn't that bad, but Jason Campbell might actually be better. It was sad to see Campbell go down like that, as he was playing some damn good football this season. He really broke out as a game manager and remains one of my favorite players since his days with the 'Skins.

No matter how much I hate Mike Brown, now was a good time for him to let Carson Palmer continue his NFL career and move on with Andy Dalton. Even though it hurts his already dirt-low stature for being a pushover from his initial refusals to trade Palmer, he finally did something for the good of the team. I have always been highly critical of Brown, but this was actually a nice move. For the Raiders, it was necessary, as they are a team that can contend for a playoff spot. It's always good to see teams trying to make that push by adding guys at the deadline, much like teams do in baseball.

Two players on the Bears- Matt Forte and Chris Harris- have requested trades. Harris said that it is due to family reasons, but it is interesting to note that the underrated Harris was benched in favor of rookie Chris Conte. His replacement isn't that bad of a player, but he isn't of Harris's caliber.

Forte, on the other hand, is a premier running back who might just be the Bears' best player on offense. He wants more money, and it looks like at least two teams are very interested in acquiring the star. He is a good rusher who has great hands out of the backfield and had an RB Efficiency of 52.6 last season.

The reason why David Garrard did not sign on to be the starter for the Dolphins or Raiders was because of back surgery. His agent has lashed out against the Jags' organization for being classless and releasing him to avoid this injury problem. He also said that this is the difference between a great organization like the Colts and one like the Jaguars, citing the fact that the Colts re-signed Peyton Manning knowing about the injury. Although both players are of way different caliber, and it isn't the same case; Garrard's agent has a point, and if that's the case, then we'll just get a little angry inside and forget about it ten seconds later. It also is quizzical as to why the Jags held out the information about the injury, but Garrard wasn't exactly forthcoming about it either. Gene Smith's explanation of the events were

Initially, Sam Bradford's injury in the game against the Packers was ruled as very minor. Now, it seems like he has a high ankle sprain. If he's out and can't start throwing the ball to Brandon Lloyd on Sunday, there is no chance that this team wins. Bradford might be out for three to four weeks, so this season is quickly going from terrible to whatever is ten times worse than terrible. Do you really want to put the game in A.J. Feely's hands?

Brandon Lloyd was traded to the Rams for virtually nothing- in case you've been living in a cave and haven't heard. I expect Lloyd to catch 30 passes this season, and you really can't get much out of a fifth-rounder in the draft. Draft picks are extremely overvalued, but Lloyd will be a free agent after this season anyway. The Broncos want DeMaryius Thomas and Eric Decker to get more targets and are also very high on rookie tight end Julius Thomas, so that's part of the reason why he was traded. For the Rams, it means that Bradford actually has a legit receiver to throw to whenever he gets back from his apparent ankle injury. I also like the Lloyd-McDaniels connection, and I can see a lot of targets coming his way in this offense. My problem is that Steven Jackson won't get the ball enough, as he was running over the Packers but didn't get enough carries to truly make a difference despite the efficient outing when he did actually get the rock.

First rounders change a man's look an life (or a trade)

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: NFL Rumors and News, Colts, Peyton Manning, Jaguars, David Garrard, Bengals, Andy Dalton, Mike Brown, DeMaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Julius Thomas, Raiders, Carson Palmer, Jason Campbell, Chris Harris CHI, Matt Forte, A.J. Feely, Brandon Lloyd, Josh McDaniels, Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson

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9/2011 Team Scope: Cincinnati Bengals

September 1st 2011 15:01

The Cincinnati Bengals are a mess, and they're only going to win a couple of games this season. What I say is now well-known fact, but I must say it anyway to properly start this team preview. Soon, I will break down their roster, and you will see why they are such a mess.

Andy Dalton looks like a solid West Coast quarterback, but the personnel around him aren't suited for the type of offense that Dalton is. While new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is bringing in the WCO, receivers A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson are vertical threats. Green's enormous talent is being wasted in this system, but there really is no other way. The benefactor will be slot receiver Jordan Shipley, who will continue his solid play from last year. I think 70 catches are more than just a possibility.

Jay Gruden is also a fan of the running game, and Cedric Benson will obviously be the biggest factor offensively. Benson is a punishing, workhose back who trades efficiency for durability. If there was a prototypical back to combat the running defenses that they will face in their division, Benson is the one. His backup, Bernard Scott, has really struggled recently with consistency, or lack thereof, and injuries. He's much better than he has been lately and is a more than capable backup. Scott won't get very many carries thanks to Benson's workhose mentality, but he should be a quality change-of-pace back.

The Bengals are an incompetent organization overall, and their management of the offensive line has been especially terrible in recent years. They had Evan Mathis last season, one of the better guards in the league, and they had him riding the bench in favor of the absolutely awful Nate Livings. The Bengals traded Mathis to the Eagles this offseason for basically nothing (another win for Philly). Interestingly enough, they signed former Eagles guard Max Jean-Gilles to be a backup to Livings. And Jean-Gilles is, of course, a very poor player.

The good thing for Bengals fans is that the team has treated Andrew Whitworth very well. They have given him another extension, and he put on quite a show last year. He is one of the best and most underrated players in the game, and he was actually a legit MVP candidate- even though he was an offensive lineman.

Right guard Bobbie Williams is a player who has been underrated for his entire career. Even though his run blocking ability has deteriorated due to age, his pass blocking is still among the best in the NFL. Williams is still an average run blocker, and he is slightly better than the legendary Brian Waters in pass protection. Williams has never been to a Pro Bowl despite his high-level of play. It certainly is a shame that one of the best guards in the league has never been given any fan recognition.

I have absolutely no idea as to why Robert Geathers gets playing time. He is one of the worst defensive ends in the league, and he puts absolutely no strain on the opposing quarterback. May I suggest giving Carlos Dunlap every snap he can get? The UF standout is the Bengals only legit end. Domata Peko needs to get back on track, but the defensive tackle next to him- Geno Atkins- is extremely underrated and is a great interior pass rusher.

The Bengals have five capable linebackers. Manny Lawson was a great signing, and he is a top edge-rusher. The newly signed Thomas Howard is a solid starter, and another former Raiders- Brandon Johnson- is a decent player who is mostly used in sub-packages. Rey Maualuga is the team's best linebacker, and Keith Rivers is solid- but struggles with his health and is a tad overrated.

The loss of Jonathan Joseph means that the Bengals no longer have one of the best cornerback duos in the game. Leon Hall is still with the team, however, and he is a better coverage corner than Joseph. Although his former teammate is a proficient tackler, Hall makes up for that with his speed. The new man opposite of him, Nate Clements also from Frisco, is a decent veteran who can make plays in run support. He is slightly below average in coverage though. The Bengals made a nice trade with the Seahawks by trading a bad defensive tackle for the speedy Kelly Jennings. He will be a more than average third corner.

I don't exactly have high hopes for the team's safeties, because Chris Crocker is their only start-able safety. He's solid, but the guys around him like Reggie Nelson and Gibril Wilson are marginal players.

The Bengals have a severe lack of talent on their roster, and I think their absolute ceiling is six games. I highly doubt that they even win that many, and I think a three to four win season for Cincy is a closer prediction to what their record will be. But contrary to what Bill Parcells said, you aren't what you're record says you are.

Remember this beast in college?

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6/20 NFL Rumors: Ronde Barber will not retire

June 20th 2011 15:04

There is an eighty percent chance that Cedric Benson remains with the Cincinnati Bengals for another season. He showed up at player workouts, he likes Andy Dalton, and he is happy that the playbook contains more running plays than last year. The Bengals passed it way too much last season, and that just doesn't make sense for a team with a running back who is easily better than the quarterback.

"I've been very passive the last three years, almost because I've had to," Benson said to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I'm not saying I'm a totally different person or I'd be crazy vocal or anything like that. I would be a little bit more expressive. I work hard and am passionate about it. I want the guys I'm playing with to be the same way."

Scouts are saying that Terrelle Pryor is only worth a sixth or seventh round pick in the supplemental draft. I think a team will take him in the fourth round, because I know that teams that want to develop a young QB will take him when they can. He was also great at OSU as a player, so I don't think he'll go that low in the supplemental draft. He seems like a career backup to me. He has upside, but he's just so raw and doesn't seem like a good enough player. Pryor is no Bernie Kosar guys. The people that say that don't even know the whole Kosar story anyway.

Kerry Collins wants to stay with the Titans and wants to groom Jake Locker. I would keep him for that reason, and you never know what happens in the NFL. I love Locker, but he could hit a rookie wall and Collins would be a nice stopgap for a year. He's better than what they have, and the Titans don't even have a real backup right now. Collins should be re-signed to a cheap one-year deal. I bet he'll take it.

"When we came to Nashville [in 2006] I told my wife, 'We are going to ride this thing out here as long as it goes and that is going to be it,'" said Collins, the Tennessean reports. "I know I am getting near the end, but I still have good football left in me. If it makes sense on both sides to do it, I'd be good for coming back. Physically, I definitely have a couple of years left in me, no doubt. But I want to see where the Titans are at, too."

Ronde Barber says he won't retire yet. I think he's a subpar corner at this stage of his career, but there's really no reason for him to retire. The Bucs need to keep their leader on defense, and he means a lot to them with uncertainty looming over Aqib Talib's future in Tampa. The Bucs are a pretty good team, and Barber wants to see the playoffs again. Ronde is also making sure that he retires when he has to. He saw what happened to his brother Tiki, and he knows that he still needs football.

"I'll play until I can't do it anymore," Barber told NFL.com. "I'm fortunate to be in a good situation. I have a coach who I'm comfortable with, and he's comfortable with me. I have a GM who understands me and wants me around. We'll play it year by year. I think all parties involved will know when it's time for me to be done."

Jerry Reese is one of the best general managers in the game, and he says that the Giants will re-sign Ahmad Bradshaw and keep Brandon Jacobs. Bradshaw is very important to the Giants, and Jacobs is also vital to the team's success. They are a dynamic duo who play well off of eachother. Bradshaw is the all-around guy, and Jacobs is the bruising back who grinds out yardage. Jacobs thought he was the odd man out and that the Giants wouldn't be able to keep him around and re-sign Bradshaw. Reese and most of us know that the Giants will gladly keep both of them around.

"I guess you have to consider the source when Brandon starts talking," Reese said on ESPN radio. "You can't read a lot into what Brandon is saying sometimes. We do expect Brandon to be part of the football team this fall. He is under contract. Brandon does talk a lot and like I said, sometimes you got to tune some of that stuff out that he is talking about."

Sticking Around

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: NFL, NFL Rumors and News, Titans, Jake Locker, Kerry Collins TEN, Bengals, Andy Dalton, Cedric Benson, New York Giants, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Jerry Reese, Bucs, Ronde Barber, Bernie Kosar, Tiki Barber

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5/24 NFL Rumors: The Free Agent Wideouts

May 24th 2011 14:02

Randy Moss had the most receiving touchdowns in an NFL season with the New England Patriots in 2007. After an ugly breakup last year, the Pats' biggest rivals could sign Moss. This would only happen if the Jets were unable to re-sign either Santonio Holmes or Braylon Edwards. Holmes and Edwards are better players than Moss at this point in time, but Moss would fit right in in New York.

Mike Brown is the worst owner in the league, and he has the most interesting QB situation on his hands. We all know about the Carson Palmer quandary, and Brown has reiterated the fact that the Bengals will keep Palmer. If Palmer holds true to his statement and retires, then Brown says the team will just put in Andy Dalton. He also added that Palmer would be the starter if he stayed. I think the Bengals need to move on and trade Palmer. They'll also get good value for him as opposed to getting nothing in return. Palmer was terrible at the beginning of the year, but he was great in the last few weeks of the season. Was it injuries or luck? Either way, I think there are going to be teams that will try and give too much for him.

The Carolina Panthers will start Cam Newton when he knows the offense, and when they assemble a solid supporting cast around him. Read: get another receiver to play next to Steve Smith. They will make a QB competition with Newton and Clausen, and Newton will act more of a game manager when he first plays. Yeah, they're going to play John Fox ball early on.

The Dallas Cowboys probably won't release Roy Williams, and I honestly wouldn't either. Why? Because there's this thing called trading where you can get something in return. Williams is way too expensive for a receiver who is only average. The Cowboys would also have to give about 12 million dollars to him if they released Williams. Yeah, not happening. Williams is a solid red zone target who can have that occasional big game when he and Romo click.

Barry Cofield wants a new and long-term deal. The defensive tackle is set to be a free agent, and the Giants should grant his request. He's one of the most vocal leaders in the NFL who is also a force on the line for the G-Men. Pay the man and give him a deal that gives him some security; he's earned it.

Mike Sims-Walker is good friends with Brandon Marshall, and he wants to join him in South Beach. I don't think the Dolphins should sign Sims-Walker because he's too similar to Marshall. They're both athletic possession receivers. I think the Fins need to sign a deep threat instead. It's not that I think Sims-Walker is a poor player. It's just that he's not the type of player the team needs. Sims-Walker is a very talented, but also very a inconsistent receiver who struggles against press coverage.

Rex Is Interested

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Posted By: Joe Soriano - Category: NFL, Patriots, Jets, Braylon Edwards NYJ, Santonio Holmes, Dolphins, Brandon Marshall, Mike Sims-Walker JAX, Bengals, Andy Dalton, Carson Palmer CIN, Mike Brown, John Fox, New York Giants, Barry Cofield NYG, Cowboys, Roy Williams DAL, Tony Romo, Panthers, Cam Newton, Jimmy Clausen, Steve Smith

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2011NFL Draft Team Grades Part 1

May 2nd 2011 14:20

Arizona Cardinals A minus Patrick Peterson is the third best prospect in the draft, and the Cards got a bargain with Sam Acho in the fourth round. Ryan Williams and Robert Housler were also nice additions.

Atlanta Falcons C plus The trade to get Julio Jones was steep, but it was a solid move in my opinion. The addition of Akeem Dent was pretty good, but I wish the Falcons didn't trade up to get Jacquizz Rodgers

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