New York Giants
Looking ahead to the 2012 season, Ralph Vacchiano lists five things the Giants must address.
Injured Giants defensive back Terrell Thomas admitted feeling "bittersweet" watching his team win the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles
New defensive backs coach Todd Bowles is comfortable in his role with the Eagles. Bowles: "I'm not trying to come here to be a defensive coordinator or a head coach. I'm here to coach the secondary. All the other stuff, I'll let everybody else figure out."
Moving the Chains looks ahead to free agency and some of the moves that could impact the Eagles.
Dallas Cowboys
Former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens reflects on his departure from the team, calling it "disappointing." Owens still has his sights set on returning to the NFL.
Calvin Watkins breaks down the tight ends in the latest installment of his position-by-position analysis.
Washington Redskins
Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post says that if Peyton Manning becomes available, the Redskins need to do whatever is necessary to sign him. Writes Jenkins: "This is one instance in which Dan Snyder needs to be the Dan Snyder we used to know, the check-writer with a signature on the bottom flashier than a fountain."
George Mason University has been ruled out as a possible training camp site for the Redskins.
Looking ahead to the 2012 season, Ralph Vacchiano lists five things the Giants must address.
Injured Giants defensive back Terrell Thomas admitted feeling "bittersweet" watching his team win the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles
New defensive backs coach Todd Bowles is comfortable in his role with the Eagles. Bowles: "I'm not trying to come here to be a defensive coordinator or a head coach. I'm here to coach the secondary. All the other stuff, I'll let everybody else figure out."
Moving the Chains looks ahead to free agency and some of the moves that could impact the Eagles.
Dallas Cowboys
Former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens reflects on his departure from the team, calling it "disappointing." Owens still has his sights set on returning to the NFL.
Calvin Watkins breaks down the tight ends in the latest installment of his position-by-position analysis.
Washington Redskins
Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post says that if Peyton Manning becomes available, the Redskins need to do whatever is necessary to sign him. Writes Jenkins: "This is one instance in which Dan Snyder needs to be the Dan Snyder we used to know, the check-writer with a signature on the bottom flashier than a fountain."
George Mason University has been ruled out as a possible training camp site for the Redskins.
Just a heads-up to all of my loyal blog followers: I will be taking a few days off to recharge after the Giants' run to their Super Bowl title. I will not be doing any blogging on this site again until Monday morning. There will be posts on this blog by others in the meantime to try and help pick up the slack, but I'm going to shut it down for a few days, catch up on sleep, laundry and my family and then return to you fully refreshed on Monday morning. I trust you'll all be able to survive in my brief absence. When I show up Monday, I hope you'll be able to catch me up on whatever I missed.
Over at ESPNNewYork.com, they're running one of these interactive "Take 'em or Trash 'em" features, where you can go clicking through the New York Giants' roster and pick which players you'd keep and which players you wouldn't for next year's team. Ohm's keeping everyone but free-agent right tackle Kareem McKenzie, but it's probably not realistic to think the Giants can bring back their Super Bowl champion roster that unscathed.
The Giants appear to have 21 unrestricted free agents, one restricted free agent (cornerback Bruce Johnson) and two exclusive rights free agents (tight ends Bear Pascoe and Jake Ballard). I could run through the whole unrestricted list, or I could refer you instead to Brian McIntyre, who tracks this stuff, and you can look through the whole list there if you want. I'm picking out a couple of the unrestricteds of interest and addressing them here:
WR Mario Manningham. If the Super Bowl hero wants top wideout money, he'll likely have to get it elsewhere. My guess is someone's willing to pay him more than the Giants are willing to pay their No. 3 wide receiver.
WR Domenik Hixon. Can he come back from a second serious knee injury in two years? That's the question. If he can, he could compete with Ramses Barden and Jerrel Jernigan to be Manningham's replacement.
McKenzie. He'll be 33 in May. He looked slower this year. Great Giant, great champion, but they need to keep refreshing things on the offensive line. Last year's casualties were Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert. McKenzie is likely this year's.
LB Jonathan Goff. If healthy, he should reclaim his role as starting middle linebacker.
CB Terrell Thomas. If healthy, he should reclaim his role as a starting cornerback.
CB Aaron Ross. No doubt he has value, and he played very well this year after Thomas went down in preseason. But if Thomas is back and Prince Amukamara is ready to take the next step, is there room for Ross?
P Steve Weatherford. Reports out of New York this week indicate they're already at work on a new deal for Weatherford, as they should be.
S Deon Grant. They moved on from Grant last year, only to re-sign him late in the preseason. He's well-loved in the locker room and a valuable veteran leader on which the coaching staff can lean. But he only comes back if he'll come back cheap.
The Giants appear to have 21 unrestricted free agents, one restricted free agent (cornerback Bruce Johnson) and two exclusive rights free agents (tight ends Bear Pascoe and Jake Ballard). I could run through the whole unrestricted list, or I could refer you instead to Brian McIntyre, who tracks this stuff, and you can look through the whole list there if you want. I'm picking out a couple of the unrestricteds of interest and addressing them here:
WR Mario Manningham. If the Super Bowl hero wants top wideout money, he'll likely have to get it elsewhere. My guess is someone's willing to pay him more than the Giants are willing to pay their No. 3 wide receiver.
WR Domenik Hixon. Can he come back from a second serious knee injury in two years? That's the question. If he can, he could compete with Ramses Barden and Jerrel Jernigan to be Manningham's replacement.
McKenzie. He'll be 33 in May. He looked slower this year. Great Giant, great champion, but they need to keep refreshing things on the offensive line. Last year's casualties were Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert. McKenzie is likely this year's.
LB Jonathan Goff. If healthy, he should reclaim his role as starting middle linebacker.
CB Terrell Thomas. If healthy, he should reclaim his role as a starting cornerback.
CB Aaron Ross. No doubt he has value, and he played very well this year after Thomas went down in preseason. But if Thomas is back and Prince Amukamara is ready to take the next step, is there room for Ross?
P Steve Weatherford. Reports out of New York this week indicate they're already at work on a new deal for Weatherford, as they should be.
S Deon Grant. They moved on from Grant last year, only to re-sign him late in the preseason. He's well-loved in the locker room and a valuable veteran leader on which the coaching staff can lean. But he only comes back if he'll come back cheap.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was recently named the most disliked athlete in America, according to a Forbes survey. It's not a new development — Vick has been a somewhat publicly reviled figure since his conviction on dogfighting charges several years ago.
But as Jonathan Tamari writes, it's interesting to note the way the perception of Vick has changed in Philadelphia and around the Eagles. While the outside world continues to hold Vick's dogfighting past against him, in Philadelphia this year he was discussed and analyzed more or less as any quarterback would be:
No, the issue with Vick in Philadelphia right now is whether the team can make a Super Bowl run with him as its quarterback. For all of the focus on first-year defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, the Wide 9 and the length of time it took the team to adjust to all of the new players, coaches and schemes this year, there's been precious little focus on Vick and his level of responsibility for what happened. Vick threw 11 interceptions and fumbled eight times (losing three) during the Eagles' 3-6 start. He played hurt without telling anyone in the Arizona game, which probably cost them. And he missed the following three games with the same injury, which definitely did.
If 2010 was Vick's breakout season, 2011 was a step back. His performance was brilliant at times but uneven. And the main problem was that this was supposed to have been the year he took over as a leader. Quarterbacks who lead are responsible with the ball and with their own bodies, knowing how important it is for them to stay on the field. Vick showed little regard for either as the Eagles were losing close games early, and he bears a good measure of the responsibility for the poor start that doomed the Eagles' season.
He'll be back in 2012, of course, and the Eagles will hope he's learned some of those lessons the hard way. The great quarterbacks are the ones that view the position as a craft to be honed, and who are always looking for the little-but-important ways to improve their game and their team. That's what Vick needs to show in 2012 if he's to prove that 2011 was the fluke and he really is capable of leading a team on a deep playoff run. He'll still probably show up in the top spot in next year's Forbes poll whether he does that or not. But if he does, the narrative and opinion about him in the town in which he plays will have changed dramatically.
[+] Enlarge
Howard Smith/US PresswireWill the public's perception of Michael Vick change if or when he guides the Eagles to a deep playoff run?
Howard Smith/US PresswireWill the public's perception of Michael Vick change if or when he guides the Eagles to a deep playoff run?There were still varied opinions on Vick — how responsible was he for his turnovers? How much blame did he deserve for the Eagles' struggles? But these were the kind of arguments that surround nearly any quarterback on any disappointing team. While there were occasional reminders — at one Vick endorsement event in Philly one woman pointedly asked what he was doing to help dogs trained to fight – for the most part it seemed that Philadelphia decided the debate had been well flogged and just moved on.
No, the issue with Vick in Philadelphia right now is whether the team can make a Super Bowl run with him as its quarterback. For all of the focus on first-year defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, the Wide 9 and the length of time it took the team to adjust to all of the new players, coaches and schemes this year, there's been precious little focus on Vick and his level of responsibility for what happened. Vick threw 11 interceptions and fumbled eight times (losing three) during the Eagles' 3-6 start. He played hurt without telling anyone in the Arizona game, which probably cost them. And he missed the following three games with the same injury, which definitely did.
If 2010 was Vick's breakout season, 2011 was a step back. His performance was brilliant at times but uneven. And the main problem was that this was supposed to have been the year he took over as a leader. Quarterbacks who lead are responsible with the ball and with their own bodies, knowing how important it is for them to stay on the field. Vick showed little regard for either as the Eagles were losing close games early, and he bears a good measure of the responsibility for the poor start that doomed the Eagles' season.
He'll be back in 2012, of course, and the Eagles will hope he's learned some of those lessons the hard way. The great quarterbacks are the ones that view the position as a craft to be honed, and who are always looking for the little-but-important ways to improve their game and their team. That's what Vick needs to show in 2012 if he's to prove that 2011 was the fluke and he really is capable of leading a team on a deep playoff run. He'll still probably show up in the top spot in next year's Forbes poll whether he does that or not. But if he does, the narrative and opinion about him in the town in which he plays will have changed dramatically.
When Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis and left tackle Trent Williams got suspended for the final four games of the 2011 season for repeatedly violating the NFL's drug policy, the big question was what the Redskins would do with these two guys. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has been preaching the value of high-character players, and a couple of knuckleheads who managed to be the only two players in the entire league to violate an extremely permissive post-lockout drug policy certainly deserve to have their character questioned.
But the Redskins are all-in on Williams, who was the No. 4 pick in the 2010 draft and is their franchise left tackle. So he's not going anywhere unless he screws up again and gets suspended for a full year. And it doesn't look as though Davis is going anywhere, either. The NFL Network's estimable Jason LaCanfora reports that the Redskins plan to designate Davis as their franchise player this offseason. This comes as no surprise here. The question even came up in Tuesday's chat. See?
Franchising Davis would mean the Redskins would have to pay him about $5.4 million, fully guaranteed, in 2012. That's a pretty small number for a guy who caught 59 passes for 796 yards in only 12 games from substandard quarterbacks. Also, Shanahan and I talked a lot about Davis when I went there to interview him in December, and he seems genuinely fond of the big lug. Shanahan said he felt Davis and Williams were extremely embarrassed by what happened and that he believed the problem wouldn't repeat itself.
The only other possible franchise player I can see on the Redskins is safety LaRon Landry. The safety franchise tag is $6.2 million, which isn't that much higher than the tight end one. But the concern with Landry is whether he'll be able to play. He may or may not need surgery on his foot but so far hasn't had it. And if the Redskins don't know for sure that he can take the field when the season starts, guaranteeing $6.2 million in March doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense.
No, I feel pretty confident that Davis gets the franchise tag and a year to show he's not going to get in any more trouble. And I think the Redskins are planning to move on from Landry.
But the Redskins are all-in on Williams, who was the No. 4 pick in the 2010 draft and is their franchise left tackle. So he's not going anywhere unless he screws up again and gets suspended for a full year. And it doesn't look as though Davis is going anywhere, either. The NFL Network's estimable Jason LaCanfora reports that the Redskins plan to designate Davis as their franchise player this offseason. This comes as no surprise here. The question even came up in Tuesday's chat. See?
Matt (DC): "Will the Redskins franchise Fred Davis? He was having a breakout season before the positive test . . ."
Dan Graziano: "I think franchising Davis makes a lot of sense, yes. The number is low, and he's a big-time talent."
Franchising Davis would mean the Redskins would have to pay him about $5.4 million, fully guaranteed, in 2012. That's a pretty small number for a guy who caught 59 passes for 796 yards in only 12 games from substandard quarterbacks. Also, Shanahan and I talked a lot about Davis when I went there to interview him in December, and he seems genuinely fond of the big lug. Shanahan said he felt Davis and Williams were extremely embarrassed by what happened and that he believed the problem wouldn't repeat itself.
The only other possible franchise player I can see on the Redskins is safety LaRon Landry. The safety franchise tag is $6.2 million, which isn't that much higher than the tight end one. But the concern with Landry is whether he'll be able to play. He may or may not need surgery on his foot but so far hasn't had it. And if the Redskins don't know for sure that he can take the field when the season starts, guaranteeing $6.2 million in March doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense.
No, I feel pretty confident that Davis gets the franchise tag and a year to show he's not going to get in any more trouble. And I think the Redskins are planning to move on from Landry.
The Dallas Cowboys didn't see Laurent Robinson coming last summer, but thanks to Miles Austin's hamstrings and the speed with which he and Tony Romo developed a red zone rapport, Robinson became an important part of Dallas' offense. Now, he's an unrestricted free agent, and the team faces a difficult decision on what to do about him.
In the third installment of their position-by-position look at the Cowboys, ESPNDallas.com tackles the wide receivers. Bryan Broaddus acknowledges Robinson's contribution but "would not be surprised if the front office allows Robinson to walk."
I remember No. 3 receiver being a concern for the Cowboys last August in training camp, and I remember talking to Bryan about this issue. At the time, we agreed that it was a small concern, in part because there was always a chance they could find a decent No. 3 wideout on the street (as they did) if they didn't like their internal options, and in part because of tight end Jason Witten's abilities as a receiver.
Witten this past season posted his lowest reception and yardage totals since 2006. I believe part of that was due to the emergence of Robinson, especially as a red zone option. I also think it had something to do with the Cowboys' offensive line struggles, which may have required Witten to spend more time as a pass-protector than a pass-catcher. It's entirely possible that, should the Cowboys let Robinson go, they can replace his production by throwing to Witten as much as they did in prior seasons. And if that's the case, internal options such as Jesse Holley or Raymond Radway might be sufficient replacements. Or they could find next year's Robinson in the free-agent bargain bin again.
The Cowboys need to spend money to upgrade the line and the secondary, and they could stand to spend some on a pass rush. If Austin and Dez Bryant can stay healthy, their concerns at wide receiver are small compared to those in other areas. So if Robinson wants more than No. 3 wide receiver money, or if he wants a long-term commitment, I'm with Bryan in that I wouldn't be surprised to see them let him go.
In the third installment of their position-by-position look at the Cowboys, ESPNDallas.com tackles the wide receivers. Bryan Broaddus acknowledges Robinson's contribution but "would not be surprised if the front office allows Robinson to walk."
He's made it clear that he wants to return to Valley Ranch and has indicated that the Cowboys wouldn't necessarily have to be the top bidders to keep him. What the Cowboys would be willing to pay for a No. 3 receiver who has proven he can be a quality fill-in starter isn't clear. If the Cowboys don't re-sign Robinson, they'll need to find another third receiver, whether it's in the draft or another free-agency bargain.
I remember No. 3 receiver being a concern for the Cowboys last August in training camp, and I remember talking to Bryan about this issue. At the time, we agreed that it was a small concern, in part because there was always a chance they could find a decent No. 3 wideout on the street (as they did) if they didn't like their internal options, and in part because of tight end Jason Witten's abilities as a receiver.
Witten this past season posted his lowest reception and yardage totals since 2006. I believe part of that was due to the emergence of Robinson, especially as a red zone option. I also think it had something to do with the Cowboys' offensive line struggles, which may have required Witten to spend more time as a pass-protector than a pass-catcher. It's entirely possible that, should the Cowboys let Robinson go, they can replace his production by throwing to Witten as much as they did in prior seasons. And if that's the case, internal options such as Jesse Holley or Raymond Radway might be sufficient replacements. Or they could find next year's Robinson in the free-agent bargain bin again.
The Cowboys need to spend money to upgrade the line and the secondary, and they could stand to spend some on a pass rush. If Austin and Dez Bryant can stay healthy, their concerns at wide receiver are small compared to those in other areas. So if Robinson wants more than No. 3 wide receiver money, or if he wants a long-term commitment, I'm with Bryan in that I wouldn't be surprised to see them let him go.
Thanks to the blog editors for picking me up on the breakfast links Tuesday. There was just no way. But I'm back! For today, at least, and we resume our daily trip around the division through the eyes of others. Curious to get your thoughts: Do we keep doing the links in order of division standings right through the offseason, or is there some point at which it makes sense to go back to doing them alphabetically? These are the things that keep me up nights, you know.
New York Giants
It turns out that not one but two Giants tight ends tore ACLs in the Super Bowl. The Giants announced Travis Beckum's during the game and Jake Ballard's on Tuesday while they were parading up the Canyon of Heroes in downtown Manhattan. It's unlikely either will be ready for the start of the 2012 season, so expect this to be an area the Giants address in the draft or in free agency.
Osi Umenyiora says he plans to "party for a month" and not worry about his own Giants future. With a year left on a deal about which he was so publicly sour a year ago, you'd have to think he'd want out. But in the wake of his second Super Bowl title, Umenyiora's saying all the right things, including, "It is not going to be on me," which made me wonder if he means he's done complaining about his contract and asking for trades or if he's just speaking literally to the fact that he's under contract for another year and it's up to the team to decide what to do with him.
Philadelphia Eagles
Trent Cole says the Eagles were "inches away from being great, being a dominant team" in 2011, and that he thinks "some teams are going to be worried about" playing the Eagles in 2012. Any or all of those things could be true, but in this humble reporter's opinion, it might be a nice idea for the Eagles to have a quiet offseason from a talking standpoint.
If the Eagles part company with DeSean Jackson, I think it'd make some sense for them to take a wide receiver with the 15th pick in the draft. Sheil Kapadia examines the wisdom of such a move and takes a look at the recent success (or lack thereof) of first-round wide receivers.
Dallas Cowboys
Tony Romo will be playing in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this weekend with Tiger Woods, who thinks highly of the Cowboys' quarterback as a golfer. I put this in here because I know how much you guys like to read about Tony Romo's golf game.
In case you missed it the other day, SportsCenter had a debate about which team that missed the 2011-12 playoffs has the best chance to win Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans next February. Tim Hasselbeck said the Cowboys, Herman Edwards said the Eagles. It begins!
Washington Redskins
Mike Jones believes the Redskins are interested in a pursuit of Peyton Manning, assuming he's healthy. But he ponders the question of whether Manning would want the Redskins back. Mike Shanahan has talked a lot about the importance of improving the group around the quarterback -- in particular wide receiver and the offensive line. If he's planning to try and woo Manning, he should be ready to show him how he plans to do that.
Brian Mitchell remembers the days when the Redskins didn't take pride in beating the eventual Super Bowl champion but rather in being the eventual Super Bowl champion.
New York Giants
It turns out that not one but two Giants tight ends tore ACLs in the Super Bowl. The Giants announced Travis Beckum's during the game and Jake Ballard's on Tuesday while they were parading up the Canyon of Heroes in downtown Manhattan. It's unlikely either will be ready for the start of the 2012 season, so expect this to be an area the Giants address in the draft or in free agency.
Osi Umenyiora says he plans to "party for a month" and not worry about his own Giants future. With a year left on a deal about which he was so publicly sour a year ago, you'd have to think he'd want out. But in the wake of his second Super Bowl title, Umenyiora's saying all the right things, including, "It is not going to be on me," which made me wonder if he means he's done complaining about his contract and asking for trades or if he's just speaking literally to the fact that he's under contract for another year and it's up to the team to decide what to do with him.
Philadelphia Eagles
Trent Cole says the Eagles were "inches away from being great, being a dominant team" in 2011, and that he thinks "some teams are going to be worried about" playing the Eagles in 2012. Any or all of those things could be true, but in this humble reporter's opinion, it might be a nice idea for the Eagles to have a quiet offseason from a talking standpoint.
If the Eagles part company with DeSean Jackson, I think it'd make some sense for them to take a wide receiver with the 15th pick in the draft. Sheil Kapadia examines the wisdom of such a move and takes a look at the recent success (or lack thereof) of first-round wide receivers.
Dallas Cowboys
Tony Romo will be playing in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this weekend with Tiger Woods, who thinks highly of the Cowboys' quarterback as a golfer. I put this in here because I know how much you guys like to read about Tony Romo's golf game.
In case you missed it the other day, SportsCenter had a debate about which team that missed the 2011-12 playoffs has the best chance to win Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans next February. Tim Hasselbeck said the Cowboys, Herman Edwards said the Eagles. It begins!
Washington Redskins
Mike Jones believes the Redskins are interested in a pursuit of Peyton Manning, assuming he's healthy. But he ponders the question of whether Manning would want the Redskins back. Mike Shanahan has talked a lot about the importance of improving the group around the quarterback -- in particular wide receiver and the offensive line. If he's planning to try and woo Manning, he should be ready to show him how he plans to do that.
Brian Mitchell remembers the days when the Redskins didn't take pride in beating the eventual Super Bowl champion but rather in being the eventual Super Bowl champion.
Part 2 of ESPNDallas.com's position-by-position series is on running backs. Bryan Broaddus assumes that DeMarco Murray comes back from his ankle injury and regains the starter's role in which he thrived, and that fullback Tony Fiammetta recovers from his own health issues and is re-signed for the fullback role in which he thrived. But Bryan raises this interesting question regarding Felix Jones, who opened the 2011 season as the starter but lost the job to injury and Murray:
Personally, I'm kind of with Broaddus in that I don't see how much value Jones is going to have. If you're saying he's not good enough to be an every-down starter, and that's the reason you're dealing him, you can't really expect another team to decide you're wrong and that he can. So you're basically offering a change-of-pace back and hoping to get a fourth- or fifth-round pick for him. If a team's in the market for a back like that, why wouldn't they just draft one with that fourth- or fifth-round pick and develop him themselves?
Jones is, at this point, a nice luxury for the Cowboys -- a starting-quality back who can sub in for a short time if Murray gets hurt but isn't likely to be able to hold up over long stretches. With one year left on Jones' deal, the Cowboys would do well to give Tanner more time next year and see what they have with him. That'd be easier with Jones out of the picture, but he's worth too much to just cut or give away for nothing. If the Cowboys can find a team willing to part with a mid-round pick for Jones, it'd be a wise deal to make. But if not, he's worth hanging onto in the role in which he finished the 2011 season.
Should the Cowboys consider trading Jones this offseason? It's hard to accomplish a trade with Jones entering the final year of his contract. The Cowboys should explore whether a fourth-or fifth-round pick is available for the former first-round pick. The team doesn't trust Jones to become a 20-down back in the NFL. He's a solid backup, which leads us to Phillip Tanner. He should compete with Jones for more playing time. If he makes the roster, he should get more game-day carries and special teams snaps.
Personally, I'm kind of with Broaddus in that I don't see how much value Jones is going to have. If you're saying he's not good enough to be an every-down starter, and that's the reason you're dealing him, you can't really expect another team to decide you're wrong and that he can. So you're basically offering a change-of-pace back and hoping to get a fourth- or fifth-round pick for him. If a team's in the market for a back like that, why wouldn't they just draft one with that fourth- or fifth-round pick and develop him themselves?
Jones is, at this point, a nice luxury for the Cowboys -- a starting-quality back who can sub in for a short time if Murray gets hurt but isn't likely to be able to hold up over long stretches. With one year left on Jones' deal, the Cowboys would do well to give Tanner more time next year and see what they have with him. That'd be easier with Jones out of the picture, but he's worth too much to just cut or give away for nothing. If the Cowboys can find a team willing to part with a mid-round pick for Jones, it'd be a wise deal to make. But if not, he's worth hanging onto in the role in which he finished the 2011 season.
Shameless plug alert: I'll be on "Outside the Lines" on ESPN at 3 p.m. ET today to discuss the Giants' Super Bowl run. Tune in for your daily Giants fix, if the parade and celebration are over by then. Tune in for the killer insight I and my fellow panelists bring to the program. Tune in to see what kind of tie I've picked out. Tune in to curse me to my face for thinking Jerry Reese didn't know what he was doing. Just tune in. It'll be fun.
Afterwards, I promise I'll do a Cowboys post. I promise.
Afterwards, I promise I'll do a Cowboys post. I promise.
A year ago, there was a raging debate about whether Cam Newton was worthy of the No. 1 pick in the draft. The Carolina Panthers picked him, and he set a rookie record with 4,501 passing yards. K.C. Joyner has a piece up today on ESPN.com that says that the physical and statistical profile of Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III suggests that he could break that record in 2012:
It's an Insider piece, so that's all you'll get here unless you pay for the Insider access. But of course this is a player of particular interest to the Washington Redskins, who are picking sixth in this year's draft and need a quarterback desperately. The Indianapolis Colts look set to pick Stanford's Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick, but the St. Louis Rams have the No. 2 pick and just took Sam Bradford No. 1 two years ago. They don't need Griffin, and they'll likely trade out of that pick to a team that does. That team could be Cleveland, Miami, Washington or some team we haven't yet identified. To get that No. 2 pick, such a team would likely have to deal this year's first-round pick and next year's at a minimum. If there's a bidding war, the price could go higher.
The question for the Redskins is whether it's worth it to them to spend this year's first-round pick and next year's on a guy who could be the next Newton. The answer likely lies somewhere in between now and the draft. The Redskins need to get to work in free agency. If they end up getting a quarterback like Kyle Orton or Matt Flynn or Peyton Manning in free agency, that'll tell you they've decided not to deal up for Griffin. But if they can really hit it big in free agency at wide receiver, offensive line and in the defensive secondary, and they fill those spots with guys they think can be long-term answers at those positions, then they might get to draft day with quarterback as their only remaining huge need, and at that point they might decide that next year's first-rounder is a worthwhile price for their long-term answer at the most important position.
The question is whether you want to pick your franchise quarterback and tell him you won't have a first-round pick next year to help build the team around him. And the answer will change depending on how complete the rest of the roster looks come draft day.
In his 2010 Heisman Trophy-winning campaign with the Auburn Tigers, Newton averaged 9.3 yards per attempt (YPA) in games against opponents from BCS conferences. He also tallied a 12.9 vertical YPA (vertical defined as passes thrown 11 or more yards downfield) and a 15.5 stretch vertical YPA (aerials thrown 20 or more yards).
All of those are superb totals, but contrast them with the 2011 totals posted by Griffin in games against opponents from BCS conferences: 10.7 overall YPA (tops in the FBS), 16.0 vertical YPA and 23.0 stretch vertical YPA. Each of Griffin's marks is appreciably better than Newton's. While Griffin may not have the shiftiness Newton possesses, he is a terrific scrambler in his own right with elite speed that defenses must respect.[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Tony GutierrezRobert Griffin III could spark a bidding war for the No. 2 pick in the draft this April.
It's an Insider piece, so that's all you'll get here unless you pay for the Insider access. But of course this is a player of particular interest to the Washington Redskins, who are picking sixth in this year's draft and need a quarterback desperately. The Indianapolis Colts look set to pick Stanford's Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick, but the St. Louis Rams have the No. 2 pick and just took Sam Bradford No. 1 two years ago. They don't need Griffin, and they'll likely trade out of that pick to a team that does. That team could be Cleveland, Miami, Washington or some team we haven't yet identified. To get that No. 2 pick, such a team would likely have to deal this year's first-round pick and next year's at a minimum. If there's a bidding war, the price could go higher.
The question for the Redskins is whether it's worth it to them to spend this year's first-round pick and next year's on a guy who could be the next Newton. The answer likely lies somewhere in between now and the draft. The Redskins need to get to work in free agency. If they end up getting a quarterback like Kyle Orton or Matt Flynn or Peyton Manning in free agency, that'll tell you they've decided not to deal up for Griffin. But if they can really hit it big in free agency at wide receiver, offensive line and in the defensive secondary, and they fill those spots with guys they think can be long-term answers at those positions, then they might get to draft day with quarterback as their only remaining huge need, and at that point they might decide that next year's first-rounder is a worthwhile price for their long-term answer at the most important position.
The question is whether you want to pick your franchise quarterback and tell him you won't have a first-round pick next year to help build the team around him. And the answer will change depending on how complete the rest of the roster looks come draft day.
Yeah, yeah. I'm still here. (And it feels really good not to have to start the post with "INDIANAPOLIS -- ", I'll tell you that.) Anyway, the chat is back, at its regularly scheduled Tuesday noon ET time, and you can ask me anything you want about any NFC East team, whether they just won the Super Bowl or not. I might not be fully back on my feet yet, and there is some time off coming in the very near future, but the blog is nearing a return to normality, I promise. Let's start it off with a fun, lively chat where no one gets hurt. Come join me at noon.
Watch the New York Giants' championship victory parade on Watch ESPN live at 11 a.m.
New York Giants
The word "repeat" is already on the minds of some Giants players.
Coach Tom Coughlin on Monday continued to discuss the affection he has for this team.
Eli Manning chatted Tuesday morning with Mike & Mike.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer highlights a few things the Eagles could learn from the new champions.
Les Bowen talks about what the Giants' win doesn't mean for the Eagles.
Dallas Cowboys
With attention now shifting to free agency and the draft, The Dallas Morning News examines each position. Today's focus is the tight ends.
In its position-by-position breakdown, ESPN Dallas analyzes the Cowboys' running backs.
Washington Redskins
Jason Reid of The Washington Post: "The Super Bowl champions couldn’t handle the Washington Redskins. That’s a fact. The New York Giants won the NFL title Sunday but lost twice to Washington during the season. And each time they played, the Redskins, who were last in the NFC East, thoroughly outperformed the division winners. It was clear. It also doesn’t matter."
Despite being an unrestricted free agent this offseason, running back Tim Hightower hopes to re-sign with the Redskins.
The word "repeat" is already on the minds of some Giants players.
Coach Tom Coughlin on Monday continued to discuss the affection he has for this team.
Eli Manning chatted Tuesday morning with Mike & Mike.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer highlights a few things the Eagles could learn from the new champions.
Les Bowen talks about what the Giants' win doesn't mean for the Eagles.
Dallas Cowboys
With attention now shifting to free agency and the draft, The Dallas Morning News examines each position. Today's focus is the tight ends.
In its position-by-position breakdown, ESPN Dallas analyzes the Cowboys' running backs.
Washington Redskins
Jason Reid of The Washington Post: "The Super Bowl champions couldn’t handle the Washington Redskins. That’s a fact. The New York Giants won the NFL title Sunday but lost twice to Washington during the season. And each time they played, the Redskins, who were last in the NFC East, thoroughly outperformed the division winners. It was clear. It also doesn’t matter."
Despite being an unrestricted free agent this offseason, running back Tim Hightower hopes to re-sign with the Redskins.
Eli Manning joins "SportsCenter" to discuss his most memorable moment from Super Bowl XLVI, compares Super Bowl XLVI to Super Bowl XLII and talks about Ahmad Bradshaw's go-ahead TD with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter.
John Korpics/ESPN
Greg Jones proposes to his girlfriend, Mandy Piechowski, right after the Giants won the Super Bowl.
Shortly after the Giants beat the Patriots, 21-17, Jones proposed to his girlfriend, Mandy Piechowski, on the confetti-covered Lucas Oil Stadium field as the celebration was under way.
Click here to view a photo gallery of the proposal.
An emotionally overwhelmed Piechowski said yes.
“She was bawling,” Jones said Monday morning before hopping on the team bus to head to the airport. “Just everything we have been through together ... she has been there since day one.”
Jones, a rookie drafted in the sixth round out of Michigan State, has known Piechowski for three years. She played basketball at Michigan State, and the two became friends first but did not start dating until a year and a half ago. He purchased the engagement ring -- a brilliant round cut diamond ring with several smaller diamonds on the band -- recently and had been waiting for the right moment to pop the question.
When Piechowski ran onto the field looking for Jones to celebrate the Giants' win, she was already emotional. She began crying as soon as she found him and embraced him.
"But then he put me down pretty fast and I was like, 'Oh, OK,'" she said. "And then he is digging in his pants and I am like, 'What are you doing?'"
Piechowski had no idea what was coming.
"He pulls out a box and I am still not comprehending what he was about to do," she said. "First thing I thought of was their ring and that doesn't make sense. Then he opens it.
"We had talked about wanting to get married next year possibly but in terms of this happening last night, no not at all. I didn't know he had a ring."
Jones got down on one knee on the field and said, "Amanda Piechowski, will you spend the rest of your life with me?"
Despite a chaotic celebration going on all around them, Piechowski heard Jones as if they were the only two on the field.
"It honestly felt quiet for a second," she said. "I didn't even know what they were doing with the trophy [celebration]."
What a night it was for Jones, who decided to make the best night of his football career the best night of his life. He had tight end Christian Hopkins, who is on the Giants’ practice squad, hold onto the ring until he proposed.
Jones said he didn't have a speech prepared for his proposal.
“She already knows how I feel,” Jones said. “A speech wasn’t needed.”
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
