NFC East: Anthony Spencer
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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Cowboys in 2012.
Dream scenario (12-4): The issue in Dallas is the extent to which the defense improves. If the improvement remains incremental, they'll lose some games they should win and have to scrap to stay in the division race. But if the defense takes a dramatic step forward in its second year under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and with Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne having been brought in to upgrade the secondary, the Cowboys become a Super Bowl contender quite quickly. In the Cowboys' dream scenario, Tony Romo has another big year at quarterback, Miles Austin and DeMarco Murray stay healthy and Dez Bryant takes a big developmental step forward of his own, using his considerable physical ability to dominate matchups in other teams' secondaries and the end zone. The new guys on the offensive line tighten things up in the interior, the move back to right tackle makes Doug Free more comfortable and Tyron Smith transitions seamlessly to left tackle. And in the dream scenario, the improvements in the secondary help the defensive front seven get more pressure on the quarterback, with outside linebacker Anthony Spencer playing the way he did in December 2009 and DeMarcus Ware playing like ... well, like he always does.
Nightmare scenario (6-10): The Cowboys' nightmare scenario, as is the case with anyone's, includes injuries. In this scenario, Austin and Bryant struggle to stay healthy, and the team actually does find itself missing the surprisingly effective replacement Laurent Robinson provided in 2011. Murray also gets banged-up, forcing them to rely again on Felix Jones and little else at running back. Claiborne struggles, as young corners often do, to adjust to the speed and intensity of the NFL game, and Spencer muddles along again, content to be a pretty good but not great player opposite Ware. In the nightmare scenario, Romo has a bad year riddled with turnovers and the kind of inconsistency that gives his critics actual evidence for their criticism, and he raises legitimate questions about how much longer the Cowboys will remain committed to him. The nightmare scenario includes a slow start against a very tough-looking early portion of the schedule and sees the Cowboys succumb to the tension and negativity that's always so quick to cling to them in times of trouble. And no, because you're asking, I don't think that even the nightmare scenario puts Jason Garrett on the hot seat. Jerry Jones loves that guy.
Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Cowboys in 2012.
Dream scenario (12-4): The issue in Dallas is the extent to which the defense improves. If the improvement remains incremental, they'll lose some games they should win and have to scrap to stay in the division race. But if the defense takes a dramatic step forward in its second year under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and with Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne having been brought in to upgrade the secondary, the Cowboys become a Super Bowl contender quite quickly. In the Cowboys' dream scenario, Tony Romo has another big year at quarterback, Miles Austin and DeMarco Murray stay healthy and Dez Bryant takes a big developmental step forward of his own, using his considerable physical ability to dominate matchups in other teams' secondaries and the end zone. The new guys on the offensive line tighten things up in the interior, the move back to right tackle makes Doug Free more comfortable and Tyron Smith transitions seamlessly to left tackle. And in the dream scenario, the improvements in the secondary help the defensive front seven get more pressure on the quarterback, with outside linebacker Anthony Spencer playing the way he did in December 2009 and DeMarcus Ware playing like ... well, like he always does.
Nightmare scenario (6-10): The Cowboys' nightmare scenario, as is the case with anyone's, includes injuries. In this scenario, Austin and Bryant struggle to stay healthy, and the team actually does find itself missing the surprisingly effective replacement Laurent Robinson provided in 2011. Murray also gets banged-up, forcing them to rely again on Felix Jones and little else at running back. Claiborne struggles, as young corners often do, to adjust to the speed and intensity of the NFL game, and Spencer muddles along again, content to be a pretty good but not great player opposite Ware. In the nightmare scenario, Romo has a bad year riddled with turnovers and the kind of inconsistency that gives his critics actual evidence for their criticism, and he raises legitimate questions about how much longer the Cowboys will remain committed to him. The nightmare scenario includes a slow start against a very tough-looking early portion of the schedule and sees the Cowboys succumb to the tension and negativity that's always so quick to cling to them in times of trouble. And no, because you're asking, I don't think that even the nightmare scenario puts Jason Garrett on the hot seat. Jerry Jones loves that guy.
Getty Images, US PresswireJason Pierre-Paul, DeMarcus Ware and Jason Babin had 54 of the NFC East's 181 sacks in 2011.The 2011 season was not the most, well, beastly season in NFC East history. It was the first time in a full, 16-game season that no team in the division won at least 10 games, and for much of the year the talk around the division was that it wasn't what it used to be.
Buncha baloney if you ask me. Even forgetting for a second that an NFC East team won the Super Bowl, this division still does one very important thing better than any other: rush the passer. The NFC East's 181 sacks led all NFL divisions in 2011, and by quite a bit. (The AFC North, which had three playoff teams, was second with 160). The Eagles tied for the league lead with 50. The Giants tied for third with 48. The Cowboys tied for seventh with 42, and the Redskins tied for 10th with 41.
So, as we slug our way through a slow news month in the NFC East, I thought it'd be a good idea to check in on the pass rushes of our four teams and see how they're doing -- what they've done to get better or worse, what their 2012 prospects look like from this far out and yes, how they rank against each other. You guys asked for more polls, and I promised I'd listen, so there's one right here for you to vote on. After you finish reading, of course. I'm addressing them in order of how many sacks they got in 2011, in case you're wondering how I decided. Seemed fair.
Philadelphia Eagles
Key contributors: DE Trent Cole, DE Jason Babin, DT Cullen Jenkins. PFF ranked Cole the No. 1 overall 4-3 defensive end in the league last year. Babin ranked 10th overall and third in pass rush, finishing third in the league with 18 sacks. Jenkins ranked as the No. 4 pass-rushing defensive tackle, and Derek Landri was No. 10. Defensive line coach Jim Washburn and defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, each of whom is entering his second season in his current position with the Eagles, believe the front four is responsible for the pass rush. And while they got a lot of publicity for how wide they like to line up their defensive ends, they like to get pressure from the defensive tackles as well.
Newcomer: DT Fletcher Cox. The Eagles traded up in the first round to pick Cox because they believed he could be an impact pass-rusher from one of those interior spots right away. They need to toughen up against the run, and that will have to be part of Cox's game. But what appealed to them was his ability to get to the passer. Rookie linebacker Mychal Kendricks could conceivably factor in here too, but the Eagles don't ask their linebackers to rush very much in the new scheme.
Stock watch: UP. The addition of Cox, as well as the possible return to full health of Mike Patterson and 2010 first-round pick Brandon Graham, give the Eagles incredible depth at a position at which they were already very strong in 2011. It's possible they'll rush the passer even better in 2012.
New York Giants
Key contributors: DE Jason Pierre-Paul, DE Justin Tuck, DE Osi Umenyiora, DE/LB Mathias Kiwanuka. No one's roster goes as deep as the Giants' does in terms of star-caliber defensive ends. Pierre-Paul was fourth in the league with 16.5 sacks in just his second NFL season. Umenyiora had nine in just nine games. Tuck turned it on at the end and in the playoffs, and Kiwanuka is a defensive end playing linebacker. The Giants believe a strong pass rush is their heritage and their key to being an annual contender.
Newcomer: DT Marvin Austin. The Giants didn't really bring in anyone this offseason who looks like a 2012 pass-rush contributor, but their 2011 second-round pick missed all of last season due to injury, so we'll call him a newcomer. The Giants would like to get more help from inside. Linval Joseph was their best pass-rushing defensive tackle in 2011, according to PFF's rankings. A healthy Austin could be a difference-maker.
Stock watch: DOWN. Not by much, but a little, because of the loss of reliable, underrated reserve DE Dave Tollefson. If Tuck and Umenyiora have injury problems again, or if Umenyiora holds out, they could get kind of thin at defensive end pretty quickly without Tollefson there to fill in this time. Now, this is the Giants, and they'll probably figure it out. The addition of linebacker Keith Rivers could allow them to move Kiwanuka back to end in case of injury. But it's worth pointing out that they did lose a somewhat important piece of the pass rush and didn't replace him.
Dallas Cowboys
Key contributors: LB DeMarcus Ware, LB Anthony Spencer, DE Jason Hatcher, NT Jay Ratliff. There's no one like Ware, who rang up another 19.5 sacks in 2011. That's nearly half the team total, and the conventional wisdom says he needs more help. But PFF ranked Spencer its 11th-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the pass rush and Hatcher as its eighth-best 3-4 pass-rushing defensive end. Add in Ratliff, who can generate pressure up the middle, and the Cowboys look better in this area than we tend to think.
Newcomer: DE Tyrone Crawford. Dallas' third-round pick is looked at by many as a project, but as one that can eventually help with the pass rush whether he ends up as a 3-4 end or standing up as an outside linebacker. Whether he can help in 2012 remains a question, but the Cowboys didn't see a first-round or second-round pass-rusher they liked better than Spencer, so they focused on the secondary instead and picked up some down-the-road guys for the pass rush.
Stock watch: EVEN. They're bringing back basically the same group, and while there's a theory that the improvements at defensive back will help the pass rush by giving it extra time to get sacks, we have yet to see that in action. Spencer must play with more aggressiveness if this unit is to take a step forward into the upper tier with the Eagles and Giants.
Washington Redskins
Key contributors: LB Brian Orakpo, LB Ryan Kerrigan, DE Stephen Bowen. The Redskins' pass rush is all about those young outside linebackers, and they are fearsome. But with only 16.5 sacks between them in 2011, their numbers have a ways to go to get into the big-time stratosphere we're talking about in the NFC East. PFF did rank Orakpo fifth and Kerrigan ninth among pass-rushing 3-4 OLBs in 2011, so they do a lot of things well in that area. Bowen had six sacks and DE Adam Carriker came up with 5.5.
Newcomer: DE Jarvis Jenkins. Just as we did with the Giants, we'll go with a 2011 second-round pick who missed his rookie season due to injury. Jenkins may not be a pass-rusher, but adding him to the defensive line rotation could help free up more room for the linebackers and maybe help the other linemen get to the passer more often as well.
Stock watch: EVEN. This is really all about how much and how quickly Orakpo and especially Kerrigan continue to develop as elite pass-rushers. They've both shown flashes of incredible raw ability, and they have to continue to hone their craft so they can play at the level of the other pass-rushers in their division. Ware, Cole, Pierre-Paul and the rest of these guys are setting a high bar, and the Redskins know they have to have their own pass-rush monsters if they want to hang with them year in and year out.
Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com, a closet baseball fan who covers the Dallas Cowboys, was looking over his 2012 Cowboys' schedule the other day. Calvin was probably planning travel, and deciding which restaurants to patronize in the various road cities to which the Cowboys will be traveling, but while he was doing this he had an idea to list five opposing players who stand out as potential problems for the Cowboys in 2012. These are individual players Calvin thinks will cause matchup problems for the Cowboys, mind you, not necessarily games he's predicting them to lose.
Anyway, the guys over at ESPNDallas.com are real good about plugging my stuff, so in the spirit of symbiosis, I like to give you a look at theirs when it seems appropriate. And on a slow, rainy offseason day such as this, it did. Calvin's list includes Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, Baltimore rookie linebacker Courtney Upshaw and two players from the NFC East -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis and New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Here's Calvin's take on Davis:
And here's his take on Pierre-Paul:
I think Smith is fantastic, will have no trouble transitioning to left tackle and can be one of the best in the league at the position in short order. But I agree with the sentiment that Pierre-Paul seems like the kind of player who raises his game when the lights are brightest, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him terrorize the Cowboys again this year, even if they are better at left tackle. His talent is such that he always finds himself in the middle of the big play, and he's the kind of player around whom the Cowboys and the rest of the division are going to have to game-plan for years to come.
And yeah, on Davis -- his size and athleticism at the tight end position are an under-discussed advantage for Griffin in his rookie season. Davis was the Redskins' best receiving threat in 2011, and it's no slight against the upgrades they've made at wide receiver to predict that he could be again in 2012. People may have forgotten about Davis after his four-game drug suspension at the end of last season. But assuming he can stay clean, there's little reason to think he won't be a difficult force with which to contend for opposing defenses.
Anyway, the guys over at ESPNDallas.com are real good about plugging my stuff, so in the spirit of symbiosis, I like to give you a look at theirs when it seems appropriate. And on a slow, rainy offseason day such as this, it did. Calvin's list includes Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, Baltimore rookie linebacker Courtney Upshaw and two players from the NFC East -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis and New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Here's Calvin's take on Davis:
The Redskins tight end had seven catches in two games against the Cowboys last season. He's a threat to the linebackers and safeties who might cover him. Does Brodney Pool cover Davis? Gerald Sensabaugh? Anthony Spencer? Davis is athletic enough to provide matchup problems and with Robert Griffin III moving around the pocket, Davis becomes a target to find on the run.
And here's his take on Pierre-Paul:
The New York Giants defensive end is the new Cowboys killer. In two games last year, Pierre-Paul had 13 tackles, three sacks and a blocked field goal. The Cowboys couldn't contain this man. Last year, Doug Free had trouble with Pierre-Paul. Now, Tyron Smith gets his turn at one of the better young defensive players in the game.
I think Smith is fantastic, will have no trouble transitioning to left tackle and can be one of the best in the league at the position in short order. But I agree with the sentiment that Pierre-Paul seems like the kind of player who raises his game when the lights are brightest, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him terrorize the Cowboys again this year, even if they are better at left tackle. His talent is such that he always finds himself in the middle of the big play, and he's the kind of player around whom the Cowboys and the rest of the division are going to have to game-plan for years to come.
And yeah, on Davis -- his size and athleticism at the tight end position are an under-discussed advantage for Griffin in his rookie season. Davis was the Redskins' best receiving threat in 2011, and it's no slight against the upgrades they've made at wide receiver to predict that he could be again in 2012. People may have forgotten about Davis after his four-game drug suspension at the end of last season. But assuming he can stay clean, there's little reason to think he won't be a difficult force with which to contend for opposing defenses.
Good morning, and welcome to another fun offseason week on the NFC East blog. As I promised, I did not stay up to catch Eli Manning on "Saturday Night Live." It's on the DVR, and I will get to it. I understand he held his own. It's all any of us can hope to do during these slower parts of the NFL offseason, after all. Links.
Dallas Cowboys
Rob Ryan says just because Anthony Spencer doesn't get a lot of sacks doesn't mean he's not a great football player. Ryan says he thinks Spencer is a great player, and went out of his way to defend him against accusations to the contrary. We get it. We've heard it all before. And it may all be true. But this is 2012. If you're playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense and the guy on the other side of the field is double-teamed on every play and you only come up with six sacks in a season, people have every right to criticize.
The Cowboys are trying to put Dez Bryant through a very structured offseason in the hopes that he doesn't wander off into shopping malls and get into trouble on his own. They believe it's working so far.
New York Giants
Osi Umenyiora has opened a Twitter account, and given the current state of his relationship with the Giants, his dissatisfaction over his contract and the strong possibility of him skipping offseason workouts and/or holding out of part of training camp in protest, it looks like a must-follow.
Ohm's got a review of Eli's performance on "Saturday Night Live," in case you've been missing "Rapid Reaction" since early February and need a fix.
Philadelphia Eagles
Geoff Mosher caught up with Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham, who believes this year will offer him an opportunity to cash in on the promise that led the Eagles to use a first-round pick on him in 2010. Graham says he's healthy, and if he is, he could be a valuable part of the defensive line rotation -- a high-energy addition to a unit that tied for the league lead in sacks in 2011.
And Bleeding Green Nation has a nice interview with Evan Mathis, who was a Twitter phenomenon long before Osi got on there. Mathis talks about his rise from little-noticed free-agent signing to indispensable starting left guard, and apologizes to Eagles fans for calling them "idiots" last year for wanting Andy Reid fired. (To clarify: He's not saying they were right, just apologizing for his word choice.)
Washington Redskins
First-round draft pick Robert Griffin III showed enough in rookie minicamp to win the starting quarterback job for the 2012 season, according to Mike Shanahan. Consider this your latest reminder that the Redskins' 2011 quarterback situation was in need of an upgrade. Truthfully, Griffin won the Redskins' starting quarterback job the instant the Indianapolis Colts selected Andrew Luck with the first pick in the draft.
Rich Campbell writes that the next step for Shanahan is to design an offense tailored to the unique skill set Griffin brings -- something Shanahan says he's already begun the process of doing, now that he's had him on a practice field for a few days.
Dallas Cowboys
Rob Ryan says just because Anthony Spencer doesn't get a lot of sacks doesn't mean he's not a great football player. Ryan says he thinks Spencer is a great player, and went out of his way to defend him against accusations to the contrary. We get it. We've heard it all before. And it may all be true. But this is 2012. If you're playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense and the guy on the other side of the field is double-teamed on every play and you only come up with six sacks in a season, people have every right to criticize.
The Cowboys are trying to put Dez Bryant through a very structured offseason in the hopes that he doesn't wander off into shopping malls and get into trouble on his own. They believe it's working so far.
New York Giants
Osi Umenyiora has opened a Twitter account, and given the current state of his relationship with the Giants, his dissatisfaction over his contract and the strong possibility of him skipping offseason workouts and/or holding out of part of training camp in protest, it looks like a must-follow.
Ohm's got a review of Eli's performance on "Saturday Night Live," in case you've been missing "Rapid Reaction" since early February and need a fix.
Philadelphia Eagles
Geoff Mosher caught up with Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham, who believes this year will offer him an opportunity to cash in on the promise that led the Eagles to use a first-round pick on him in 2010. Graham says he's healthy, and if he is, he could be a valuable part of the defensive line rotation -- a high-energy addition to a unit that tied for the league lead in sacks in 2011.
And Bleeding Green Nation has a nice interview with Evan Mathis, who was a Twitter phenomenon long before Osi got on there. Mathis talks about his rise from little-noticed free-agent signing to indispensable starting left guard, and apologizes to Eagles fans for calling them "idiots" last year for wanting Andy Reid fired. (To clarify: He's not saying they were right, just apologizing for his word choice.)
Washington Redskins
First-round draft pick Robert Griffin III showed enough in rookie minicamp to win the starting quarterback job for the 2012 season, according to Mike Shanahan. Consider this your latest reminder that the Redskins' 2011 quarterback situation was in need of an upgrade. Truthfully, Griffin won the Redskins' starting quarterback job the instant the Indianapolis Colts selected Andrew Luck with the first pick in the draft.
Rich Campbell writes that the next step for Shanahan is to design an offense tailored to the unique skill set Griffin brings -- something Shanahan says he's already begun the process of doing, now that he's had him on a practice field for a few days.
This is the part where I check the mailbag, pick out a few of your questions and do the best I can to answer them before we all get on with our nice spring weekends. I hope you enjoy it.
Joe D from Panama City, Fla., asks why I keep talking about the Dallas Cowboys' need to improve their pass rush, given that they finished tied for seventh in the league in sacks last year.
Dan Graziano: Touché, Joe D. The overall sack numbers were nice -- 42 in 16 games. But when the Cowboys talk about improving their pass rush (and believe me, they do), I think the concern is rooted in the extent to which the responsibility for that aspect of the defense continues to fall on one man. As a team, the Cowboys had 42 sacks, but DeMarcus Ware had 19.5 by himself. And 12 of those came in the first seven games of the season. The concern over the pass rush in Dallas isn't about the overall numbers, but rather on an effort to get Ware some help so that maybe he can see one or two plays a game on which he's not double-teamed and so that he can perhaps avoid seeing his sack numbers drop as the season goes along. They'd like to see Anthony Spencer be a more credible threat from the other outside linebacker spot, or get more pressure on the passer from their defensive line. But on plays when the opposing offense can find a way to account for Ware, the quarterback tends to have too much time to throw. Your point is well taken, but the Cowboys are looking for more players who can help their pass rush bring more pressure from more different spots on the field.
Tramell from Bowie, Md., was rankled by something I wrote Thursday about "question in the secondary" for the Washington Redskins. He likes DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson as the starting corners, thinks Tanard Jackson will be an upgrade over O.J. Atogwe at safety and that DeJon Gomes shows promise.
DG: Even if everything you write is true, Tramell, that doesn't mean they don't have questions to answer in the secondary. Jackson was cut for attitude reasons in Tampa Bay (though they claimed it was for injury reasons), and the theory is that he'll click with former Bucs coach and new Redskins secondary coach Raheem Morris, but we don't know that that'll be the case. I do know that they like Gomes as a starting-caliber safety, but they don't know if he'll be ready for that this year or if he may need some more time before taking on that full-time role. Brandon Meriweather, Madieu Williams... there are going to be a lot of bodies in that secondary in training camp, and I think it's fair to say there are questions about how it will all shake out.
Kenya from NY noticed a mention Friday about the fact that Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Howard Mudd likes his quarterback to call out the protections at the line of scrimmage, and that last year (Mudd's first in Philadelphia) was the first year Michael Vick was asked to handle that responsibility. Kenya wants to know why an offensive line coach would prefer this arrangement.
DG: As I understand it, Kenya, part of Mudd's philosophy is that the quarterback and the line have to function in concert with each other. His offensive line meetings always include the quarterback as an active participant, and having Vick identify the middle linebacker and change the protection if he feels it's warranted is another way of making him feel invested in and aware of what his linemen are doing. In theory, it should help Vick identify throwing lanes and intelligent opportunities to run. But put simply, I believe Mudd likes the quarterback to feel as though the line functions as an extension of what he's doing on each play. Kenya, you also asked whether I believe Vick is good enough to do this, and my answer is yes -- Vick is "good enough" to do anything he wants to do on a football field, as long as he's continually committed to improving and honing his craft as a quarterback.
Kyle from Boston, Mass., wondered what the status is on contract extension talks between the New York Giants and head coach Tom Coughlin, as well as long-term deals for young stars such as Hakeem Nicks, Jason Pierre-Paul and Victor Cruz.
DG: The Giants have a deliberate way of doing things, and an order in which things need to be done. There is an understanding between Coughlin and team management that a contract extension will be done, probably between now and the start of training camp. My guess is that it'll be a three-year deal, and neither side is stressed out about it. But when you start asking about the players, you get some sense of why they're not eager to do a new deal with Osi Umenyiora. Already up against this year's cap, the Giants are looking down the road at new contract situations that will need to be addressed. You name a few, and Giants management is obviously aware that they are on the horizon. But you have to prove it in New York -- and for more than one year. Cruz and Pierre-Paul are not near the front of the line for new contracts. Nicks is closer than either of them. Mathias Kiwanuka just quietly got one. They take care of their own cornerstone pieces, but they do so only after (a) making sure that they really are cornerstones and (b) when the time is right. I wouldn't expect to see any extensions for any of the guys you named this offseason. Except Coughlin, of course.
Joe D from Panama City, Fla., asks why I keep talking about the Dallas Cowboys' need to improve their pass rush, given that they finished tied for seventh in the league in sacks last year.
Dan Graziano: Touché, Joe D. The overall sack numbers were nice -- 42 in 16 games. But when the Cowboys talk about improving their pass rush (and believe me, they do), I think the concern is rooted in the extent to which the responsibility for that aspect of the defense continues to fall on one man. As a team, the Cowboys had 42 sacks, but DeMarcus Ware had 19.5 by himself. And 12 of those came in the first seven games of the season. The concern over the pass rush in Dallas isn't about the overall numbers, but rather on an effort to get Ware some help so that maybe he can see one or two plays a game on which he's not double-teamed and so that he can perhaps avoid seeing his sack numbers drop as the season goes along. They'd like to see Anthony Spencer be a more credible threat from the other outside linebacker spot, or get more pressure on the passer from their defensive line. But on plays when the opposing offense can find a way to account for Ware, the quarterback tends to have too much time to throw. Your point is well taken, but the Cowboys are looking for more players who can help their pass rush bring more pressure from more different spots on the field.
Tramell from Bowie, Md., was rankled by something I wrote Thursday about "question in the secondary" for the Washington Redskins. He likes DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson as the starting corners, thinks Tanard Jackson will be an upgrade over O.J. Atogwe at safety and that DeJon Gomes shows promise.
DG: Even if everything you write is true, Tramell, that doesn't mean they don't have questions to answer in the secondary. Jackson was cut for attitude reasons in Tampa Bay (though they claimed it was for injury reasons), and the theory is that he'll click with former Bucs coach and new Redskins secondary coach Raheem Morris, but we don't know that that'll be the case. I do know that they like Gomes as a starting-caliber safety, but they don't know if he'll be ready for that this year or if he may need some more time before taking on that full-time role. Brandon Meriweather, Madieu Williams... there are going to be a lot of bodies in that secondary in training camp, and I think it's fair to say there are questions about how it will all shake out.
Kenya from NY noticed a mention Friday about the fact that Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Howard Mudd likes his quarterback to call out the protections at the line of scrimmage, and that last year (Mudd's first in Philadelphia) was the first year Michael Vick was asked to handle that responsibility. Kenya wants to know why an offensive line coach would prefer this arrangement.
DG: As I understand it, Kenya, part of Mudd's philosophy is that the quarterback and the line have to function in concert with each other. His offensive line meetings always include the quarterback as an active participant, and having Vick identify the middle linebacker and change the protection if he feels it's warranted is another way of making him feel invested in and aware of what his linemen are doing. In theory, it should help Vick identify throwing lanes and intelligent opportunities to run. But put simply, I believe Mudd likes the quarterback to feel as though the line functions as an extension of what he's doing on each play. Kenya, you also asked whether I believe Vick is good enough to do this, and my answer is yes -- Vick is "good enough" to do anything he wants to do on a football field, as long as he's continually committed to improving and honing his craft as a quarterback.
Kyle from Boston, Mass., wondered what the status is on contract extension talks between the New York Giants and head coach Tom Coughlin, as well as long-term deals for young stars such as Hakeem Nicks, Jason Pierre-Paul and Victor Cruz.
DG: The Giants have a deliberate way of doing things, and an order in which things need to be done. There is an understanding between Coughlin and team management that a contract extension will be done, probably between now and the start of training camp. My guess is that it'll be a three-year deal, and neither side is stressed out about it. But when you start asking about the players, you get some sense of why they're not eager to do a new deal with Osi Umenyiora. Already up against this year's cap, the Giants are looking down the road at new contract situations that will need to be addressed. You name a few, and Giants management is obviously aware that they are on the horizon. But you have to prove it in New York -- and for more than one year. Cruz and Pierre-Paul are not near the front of the line for new contracts. Nicks is closer than either of them. Mathias Kiwanuka just quietly got one. They take care of their own cornerstone pieces, but they do so only after (a) making sure that they really are cornerstones and (b) when the time is right. I wouldn't expect to see any extensions for any of the guys you named this offseason. Except Coughlin, of course.
Have the Dallas Cowboys really fixed their defense?
I'll give them cornerback. With the free-agent signing of Brandon Carr and the surprising trade up in the first round of the draft to pick Morris Claiborne, the Cowboys have worked hard to make sure that this year's starting cornerbacks will be much more difficult for Giants fullbacks to jump over. Assuming Claiborne is the instant-impact guy he was drafted to be, he, Carr, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick make one of Dallas' weakest 2011 units a 2012 strength.
But questions remain at other places on a defense whose total system failure was the sole reason the Cowboys lost four of their last five games and the division title. Is Brodney Pool an upgrade over Abram Elam at safety? Can they get reliable production from that other inside linebacker spot from the combination of Dan Connor and Bruce Carter? Will Anthony Spencer be a more effective pass-rusher? Do they have a plan for limiting the wear and tear on nose tackle Jay Ratliff, to help him maintain a high level of performance throughout the second half of the season?
The Cowboys' active and productive offseason has done nothing to directly address the pass rush. There is a theory that the improvements at cornerback will help the pass rush, since better coverage of receivers could give the men up front more time to get to the passer. And that may well be true. But any and all improvements the Cowboys have made on defense remain theoretical until we see that defense on the field. Last year, the party line in Dallas was that the defensive personnel were good and had underachieved and would improve in the first year under new coordinator Rob Ryan. That turned out not to be the case, and now some of the personnel have been changed. But it remains up to Ryan to put it together as a cohesive unit more capable of stopping opponents than the 2011 version was. Right now, we're taking the Cowboys' word that the new faces are dramatic enough upgrades to pull that off. But aside from the money spent on Carr and the high draft position of Claiborne, there's little outside evidence to support it. More could have been done to improve at safety, outside linebacker and defensive line, and it was not. Although Ryan may be able to make it all work, it's hard to feel too certain about it on May 3.
I'll give them cornerback. With the free-agent signing of Brandon Carr and the surprising trade up in the first round of the draft to pick Morris Claiborne, the Cowboys have worked hard to make sure that this year's starting cornerbacks will be much more difficult for Giants fullbacks to jump over. Assuming Claiborne is the instant-impact guy he was drafted to be, he, Carr, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick make one of Dallas' weakest 2011 units a 2012 strength.
But questions remain at other places on a defense whose total system failure was the sole reason the Cowboys lost four of their last five games and the division title. Is Brodney Pool an upgrade over Abram Elam at safety? Can they get reliable production from that other inside linebacker spot from the combination of Dan Connor and Bruce Carter? Will Anthony Spencer be a more effective pass-rusher? Do they have a plan for limiting the wear and tear on nose tackle Jay Ratliff, to help him maintain a high level of performance throughout the second half of the season?
The Cowboys' active and productive offseason has done nothing to directly address the pass rush. There is a theory that the improvements at cornerback will help the pass rush, since better coverage of receivers could give the men up front more time to get to the passer. And that may well be true. But any and all improvements the Cowboys have made on defense remain theoretical until we see that defense on the field. Last year, the party line in Dallas was that the defensive personnel were good and had underachieved and would improve in the first year under new coordinator Rob Ryan. That turned out not to be the case, and now some of the personnel have been changed. But it remains up to Ryan to put it together as a cohesive unit more capable of stopping opponents than the 2011 version was. Right now, we're taking the Cowboys' word that the new faces are dramatic enough upgrades to pull that off. But aside from the money spent on Carr and the high draft position of Claiborne, there's little outside evidence to support it. More could have been done to improve at safety, outside linebacker and defensive line, and it was not. Although Ryan may be able to make it all work, it's hard to feel too certain about it on May 3.
Good morning. Did you ever sit in front of your computer and know you needed to type something but you just couldn't come up with anything good? Yeah, in my business you can't afford to have that problem. So I'm going to keep this part here real short today and just say something about links.
Dallas Cowboys
Top draft pick Morris Claiborne is going to wear No. 24 for the Cowboys, and that's a number that has some defensive-back history to it in Dallas. Everson Walls likes the idea of Claiborne wearing his old number, and I guess it's a good thing the Cowboys don't do anything to put any undue pressure on their young guys.
Calvin Watkins thinks that the draft picks of Tyrone Crawford and Kyle Wilber, each of whom projects as a pass-rusher, indicate that the team is trying to formulate a long-range backup plan in case Anthony Spencer doesn't make enough pass-rush strides this year and they need to move on. It doesn't look as though either of those picks is in line to make any real impact this year, but they believe one or both of them can develop into a stand-up outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense, and if that's the case, one of them could eventually replace Spencer.
New York Giants
Eli Manning's turn as host of "Saturday Night Live" comes this weekend. (I'll leave you to guess which day.) His big brother hosted it once upon a time, back when he was the big name in that family, and he spoke with the New York Daily News about what he thinks will help make his brother better at this than a lot of people might think.
Giants 101 ponders the difference between Mario Manningham and Rueben Randle as well as the difference between Brandon Jacobs and David Wilson, and reaches the conclusion that the Giants might be less explosive in the passing game but more so in the running game as a result of those changes.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jonathan Tamari breaks down five offseason position battles on the Eagles' roster, including starting safety, backup quarterback and (of course) linebacker. Safety is the one on which I think everyone has their eye. Can the young guys the Eagles drafted high in 2010 and 2011 emerge as viable starters in 2012?
Dave Spadaro is ... well, he's flat-out jacked up about what he sees on the Eagles' defensive line for this year. And while this is no surprise, coming as it does from Dave on the team's official website, when he starts listing the names at defensive tackle and defensive end, it does start to look awfully impressive.
Washington Redskins
Jason Reid writes that the Kirk Cousins pick was a "risky but necessary" backup plan for Robert Griffin III, and that it doesn't have the same characteristics of last year's training camp quarterback controversy between Rex Grossman and John Beck. And you know what? When Jason puts it that way, that's kind of all you need to hear, right? Was there really anything wrong with upgrading two quarterback spots?
Some of Jabar Gaffney's 2011 numbers -- he led the team in catches and receiving yards -- were good enough to make you wonder why they cut him Tuesday. But John Keim says the number the Redskins looked at was his 2.7 yards average yards after catch, and they believe they can do better than that from the flanker spot with Josh Morgan and/or Leonard Hankerson in 2012.
Dallas Cowboys
Top draft pick Morris Claiborne is going to wear No. 24 for the Cowboys, and that's a number that has some defensive-back history to it in Dallas. Everson Walls likes the idea of Claiborne wearing his old number, and I guess it's a good thing the Cowboys don't do anything to put any undue pressure on their young guys.
Calvin Watkins thinks that the draft picks of Tyrone Crawford and Kyle Wilber, each of whom projects as a pass-rusher, indicate that the team is trying to formulate a long-range backup plan in case Anthony Spencer doesn't make enough pass-rush strides this year and they need to move on. It doesn't look as though either of those picks is in line to make any real impact this year, but they believe one or both of them can develop into a stand-up outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense, and if that's the case, one of them could eventually replace Spencer.
New York Giants
Eli Manning's turn as host of "Saturday Night Live" comes this weekend. (I'll leave you to guess which day.) His big brother hosted it once upon a time, back when he was the big name in that family, and he spoke with the New York Daily News about what he thinks will help make his brother better at this than a lot of people might think.
Giants 101 ponders the difference between Mario Manningham and Rueben Randle as well as the difference between Brandon Jacobs and David Wilson, and reaches the conclusion that the Giants might be less explosive in the passing game but more so in the running game as a result of those changes.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jonathan Tamari breaks down five offseason position battles on the Eagles' roster, including starting safety, backup quarterback and (of course) linebacker. Safety is the one on which I think everyone has their eye. Can the young guys the Eagles drafted high in 2010 and 2011 emerge as viable starters in 2012?
Dave Spadaro is ... well, he's flat-out jacked up about what he sees on the Eagles' defensive line for this year. And while this is no surprise, coming as it does from Dave on the team's official website, when he starts listing the names at defensive tackle and defensive end, it does start to look awfully impressive.
Washington Redskins
Jason Reid writes that the Kirk Cousins pick was a "risky but necessary" backup plan for Robert Griffin III, and that it doesn't have the same characteristics of last year's training camp quarterback controversy between Rex Grossman and John Beck. And you know what? When Jason puts it that way, that's kind of all you need to hear, right? Was there really anything wrong with upgrading two quarterback spots?
Some of Jabar Gaffney's 2011 numbers -- he led the team in catches and receiving yards -- were good enough to make you wonder why they cut him Tuesday. But John Keim says the number the Redskins looked at was his 2.7 yards average yards after catch, and they believe they can do better than that from the flanker spot with Josh Morgan and/or Leonard Hankerson in 2012.
Breakfast links: Meh on Skins' 'controversy'
May, 1, 2012
May 1
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Good morning, and welcome to May, which for those who can't remember back two years is minicamp month in the NFL. It's also the month that has Mother's Day in it, which means it's time to think about doing some shopping. I didn't even realize how soon that was until I flipped the calendar. Sheesh. Anyway, links.
Dallas Cowboys
Morris Claiborne said on the radio in Dallas that he'd love to be a two-way player in the NFL. Hey, I guess if he can play receiver as well as cornerback, then it turns out he was worth their first two picks in the draft! Ah, but I kid, I kid. In all seriousness, Claiborne was a much better pick than any of the ones the Cowboys made after him.
Josh Ellis thinks the fact that the Cowboys didn't draft pass-rush help until the fourth round might make it more likely that they end up giving Anthony Spencer the long-term deal he's seeking. I guess it's possible. Still think they're going to wait to see how Spencer plays this year before deciding on that, though as Josh points out, if he suddenly comes up with like 11 sacks, that'll mean he's going to cost more.
New York Giants
With his buddy Brandon Jacobs gone and the Giants having used their first-round pick on a running back, Ahmad Bradshaw says he's excited to be the veteran among the running backs and plans to make first-rounder David Wilson his "project." That's how they roll over there in East Rutherford. Lots of veterans say they hate it when their team drafts someone who plays their position. Giants players view it as an opportunity to do some teaching.
You may have read or heard, in the wake of the draft Saturday night, the quote where Jerry Reese called fourth-rounder Adrien Robinson "the JPP of tight ends." What he meant by that was that Robinson is very raw and, the Giants believe, has potential to develop into something he hadn't yet been as a college player, much like defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul when the Giants picked him in the first round two years ago. Part of the Giants' reason for hope is their faith in their tight ends coach, Mike Pope, as well as Eli Manning's track record of getting the most out of his receiving targets.
Philadelphia Eagles
Howie Roseman says the Eagles don't plan to add a veteran at safety or running back at this point. It's like I always say about the stuff GMs and coaches say publicly: Sure, he might be telling the truth. But he also might not, and it makes a lot less sense for a GM who has to go play the bargain-bin free-agent market to say, "Yeah, we desperately need to add a veteran to this mix" than it does to say what Roseman said. There's certainly be nothing wrong with adding a cheap, cuttable veteran for camp reps or competition at either of those positions, and the Eagles have several months to decide whether they really want or need to do that.
Jonathan Tamari checked in on special-teams ace Colt Anderson and his recovery from the knee injury that ended his excellent 2011 season prematurely.
Washington Redskins
The issue, such as it is, regarding the Redskins' decision to pick Kirk Cousins in the fourth round after taking Robert Griffin III in the first, is the possibility that Griffin could struggle, Cousins could show promise and a controversy could ensue in which people start to suggest that Cousins would be the better choice at starting quarterback. I could see it, sure. And the Redskins are naive if they think it couldn't happen. But I'm not as exercised about it as a lot of people are, and the main reason is this: That would be true no matter who the backup was, and the fact that the backup in this case would happen to be the fourth-round pick in the draft in which Griffin was the first-round pick only matters to the argument because it just happened. Had Cousins been the Redskins' fourth-round pick last year, I doubt anyone would care about this issue. My only problem with the pick was that I thought Washington could have used it to address a different position at which it had a need. Their counter-argument is that backup quarterback is a need, for every team in general and for them especially, and fair enough.
Have you wondered why the Redskins have taken three SMU players in the last two drafts? It's not entirely a coincidence. Brian Tinsman explains how the connection between Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and SMU coach June Jones had factored into picks such as Aldrick Robinson, Josh LeRibeus and Richard Crawford.
Dallas Cowboys
Morris Claiborne said on the radio in Dallas that he'd love to be a two-way player in the NFL. Hey, I guess if he can play receiver as well as cornerback, then it turns out he was worth their first two picks in the draft! Ah, but I kid, I kid. In all seriousness, Claiborne was a much better pick than any of the ones the Cowboys made after him.
Josh Ellis thinks the fact that the Cowboys didn't draft pass-rush help until the fourth round might make it more likely that they end up giving Anthony Spencer the long-term deal he's seeking. I guess it's possible. Still think they're going to wait to see how Spencer plays this year before deciding on that, though as Josh points out, if he suddenly comes up with like 11 sacks, that'll mean he's going to cost more.
New York Giants
With his buddy Brandon Jacobs gone and the Giants having used their first-round pick on a running back, Ahmad Bradshaw says he's excited to be the veteran among the running backs and plans to make first-rounder David Wilson his "project." That's how they roll over there in East Rutherford. Lots of veterans say they hate it when their team drafts someone who plays their position. Giants players view it as an opportunity to do some teaching.
You may have read or heard, in the wake of the draft Saturday night, the quote where Jerry Reese called fourth-rounder Adrien Robinson "the JPP of tight ends." What he meant by that was that Robinson is very raw and, the Giants believe, has potential to develop into something he hadn't yet been as a college player, much like defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul when the Giants picked him in the first round two years ago. Part of the Giants' reason for hope is their faith in their tight ends coach, Mike Pope, as well as Eli Manning's track record of getting the most out of his receiving targets.
Philadelphia Eagles
Howie Roseman says the Eagles don't plan to add a veteran at safety or running back at this point. It's like I always say about the stuff GMs and coaches say publicly: Sure, he might be telling the truth. But he also might not, and it makes a lot less sense for a GM who has to go play the bargain-bin free-agent market to say, "Yeah, we desperately need to add a veteran to this mix" than it does to say what Roseman said. There's certainly be nothing wrong with adding a cheap, cuttable veteran for camp reps or competition at either of those positions, and the Eagles have several months to decide whether they really want or need to do that.
Jonathan Tamari checked in on special-teams ace Colt Anderson and his recovery from the knee injury that ended his excellent 2011 season prematurely.
Washington Redskins
The issue, such as it is, regarding the Redskins' decision to pick Kirk Cousins in the fourth round after taking Robert Griffin III in the first, is the possibility that Griffin could struggle, Cousins could show promise and a controversy could ensue in which people start to suggest that Cousins would be the better choice at starting quarterback. I could see it, sure. And the Redskins are naive if they think it couldn't happen. But I'm not as exercised about it as a lot of people are, and the main reason is this: That would be true no matter who the backup was, and the fact that the backup in this case would happen to be the fourth-round pick in the draft in which Griffin was the first-round pick only matters to the argument because it just happened. Had Cousins been the Redskins' fourth-round pick last year, I doubt anyone would care about this issue. My only problem with the pick was that I thought Washington could have used it to address a different position at which it had a need. Their counter-argument is that backup quarterback is a need, for every team in general and for them especially, and fair enough.
Have you wondered why the Redskins have taken three SMU players in the last two drafts? It's not entirely a coincidence. Brian Tinsman explains how the connection between Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and SMU coach June Jones had factored into picks such as Aldrick Robinson, Josh LeRibeus and Richard Crawford.
The theme for the Dallas Cowboys in this draft is defense, and specifically -- other then their first-round trade-up for cornerback Morris Claiborne -- it appears to be about talented athletes who project as possible pass-rush help down the road. With the 18th pick in the fourth round (113th overall), the Cowboys selected Wake Forest outside linebacker Kyle Wilber.
Wilber was at his best in college as a pass-rusher, so clearly the Cowboys have their eye on developing him in that role. Anthony Spencer is playing on a one-year deal at the starting outside linebacker spot opposite superstar DeMarcus Ware, and if Spencer has another lackluster year rushing the passer and someone like Wilber can develop quickly, it's possible Wilber could be a replacement for Spencer down the road. He doesn't have great speed, but the scouting reports say he has good pass-rushing moves and instincts. We'll find out the degree to which he gets the opportunity to showcase those in training camp and during his rookie season. It could depend on how eager and willing he is to make an impact on special teams.
This is the third pick of this draft for the Cowboys, and all three have been defensive players. They took another long-armed upside athlete, Tyrone Crawford, in the third round and hope he can develop into a starting 3-4 defensive end. It seems that, after dealing up for the best defensive player in the draft in Claiborne, they're looking at a specific sort of guy they believe can help them on defense in the long-term.
Hey, so ... what's everybody watching tonight? Is "Parks & Recreation" new? Ah, I'm just kiddin'. Let's have some links.
Dallas Cowboys
Sure, the Cowboys could draft a pass-rusher tonight (or tomorrow night) and improve their future prospects in the pass rush. But Jerry Jones seems to think the pass rush is in fine hands right now, and even alluded to the surprising possibility that the team could lock up outside linebacker Anthony Spencer on a long-term deal sometime soon. Still seems to me they'd need to see more sacks from Spencer this year before doing that, but we know they value him for non-pass-rush reasons, so who knows?
Jean-Jacques Taylor says the Cowboys shouldn't trade up or down in this year's draft, since they need as many good players as possible and should be able to find usable value at No. 14 and in the later rounds as well. I agree with Jacques, as you found out if you followed the blogger mock draft on Monday. The Cowboys need depth, and a trade-up that costs them later picks isn't the best way to address that.
New York Giants
Osi Umenyiora isn't optimistic about his chances to sign a long-term extension with the Giants, and he suggests that their best plan may be to try and trade him at some point during the draft this weekend. I don't think he should be optimistic about that, either. While I believe this is the right time for the Giants to trade Umenyiora and maximize his value, it does not look as though that's something they're interested in doing.
Mark Herzlich believes the Giants' starting middle linebacker job is his to win, and surely he will get a chance to do so. There's been talk this offseason about the Giants moving Michael Boley to the middle, but their plans for how to align their linebackers remain in flux, and a lot could depend on what they see from Herzlich and their other second-year linebackers this offseason and in training camp.
Philadelphia Eagles
Paul Domowitch thinks the smartest thing the Eagles could do tonight in the first round is pick an offensive lineman. I started reading this and thought, "Paul's nuts." But as I read it, I started to come around. The offensive line played well last year, but it's already without its best player following the Jason Peters injury, and there's really no depth behind the starters. Paul's convinced me at least to the point where, if the Eagles pick an offensive lineman in the first round, I won't be sitting there going, "Whaaaaa?!?!?!?!?"
The Eagles, as you know by now, got merely a seventh-round pick in return for cornerback Asante Samuel. They were dumping Samuel and his salary, willing to take anything they could get if they could get the deal done ahead of the draft. Some fans are upset about this, because Samuel is too good a player to give up for so little. Marcus Hayes ... um, well, he appears to disagree. "Birds toss a no-hitter" is my favorite headline of the week so far.
Washington Redskins
If you combined the excitement level of the other three fan bases in the NFC East, it wouldn't approach what the Redskins' fans are feeling about tonight's first round. By 8:20 pm, Robert Griffin III should be wearing a Redskins baseball cap and smiling through interviews. Redskins fans, coach Mike Shanahan is right there with you. He can hardly contain himself at the idea of selecting Griffin tonight with the second pick in the draft.
Dan Daly writes that Griffin has come along at a fortuitous time in Redskins history -- a time at which they need him rather desperately.
Dallas Cowboys
Sure, the Cowboys could draft a pass-rusher tonight (or tomorrow night) and improve their future prospects in the pass rush. But Jerry Jones seems to think the pass rush is in fine hands right now, and even alluded to the surprising possibility that the team could lock up outside linebacker Anthony Spencer on a long-term deal sometime soon. Still seems to me they'd need to see more sacks from Spencer this year before doing that, but we know they value him for non-pass-rush reasons, so who knows?
Jean-Jacques Taylor says the Cowboys shouldn't trade up or down in this year's draft, since they need as many good players as possible and should be able to find usable value at No. 14 and in the later rounds as well. I agree with Jacques, as you found out if you followed the blogger mock draft on Monday. The Cowboys need depth, and a trade-up that costs them later picks isn't the best way to address that.
New York Giants
Osi Umenyiora isn't optimistic about his chances to sign a long-term extension with the Giants, and he suggests that their best plan may be to try and trade him at some point during the draft this weekend. I don't think he should be optimistic about that, either. While I believe this is the right time for the Giants to trade Umenyiora and maximize his value, it does not look as though that's something they're interested in doing.
Mark Herzlich believes the Giants' starting middle linebacker job is his to win, and surely he will get a chance to do so. There's been talk this offseason about the Giants moving Michael Boley to the middle, but their plans for how to align their linebackers remain in flux, and a lot could depend on what they see from Herzlich and their other second-year linebackers this offseason and in training camp.
Philadelphia Eagles
Paul Domowitch thinks the smartest thing the Eagles could do tonight in the first round is pick an offensive lineman. I started reading this and thought, "Paul's nuts." But as I read it, I started to come around. The offensive line played well last year, but it's already without its best player following the Jason Peters injury, and there's really no depth behind the starters. Paul's convinced me at least to the point where, if the Eagles pick an offensive lineman in the first round, I won't be sitting there going, "Whaaaaa?!?!?!?!?"
The Eagles, as you know by now, got merely a seventh-round pick in return for cornerback Asante Samuel. They were dumping Samuel and his salary, willing to take anything they could get if they could get the deal done ahead of the draft. Some fans are upset about this, because Samuel is too good a player to give up for so little. Marcus Hayes ... um, well, he appears to disagree. "Birds toss a no-hitter" is my favorite headline of the week so far.
Washington Redskins
If you combined the excitement level of the other three fan bases in the NFC East, it wouldn't approach what the Redskins' fans are feeling about tonight's first round. By 8:20 pm, Robert Griffin III should be wearing a Redskins baseball cap and smiling through interviews. Redskins fans, coach Mike Shanahan is right there with you. He can hardly contain himself at the idea of selecting Griffin tonight with the second pick in the draft.
Dan Daly writes that Griffin has come along at a fortuitous time in Redskins history -- a time at which they need him rather desperately.
So the draft is tomorrow, which I understand some people are excited about. The prospects have arrived in New York City. I dropped by the EA Sports event in Manhattan on Tuesday night and met Robert Griffin III and Fletcher Cox and some other folks. I always enjoy this part of the draft -- the days leading up to the thing itself, when these kids get to feel like kings of the world before the real work starts. Invariably, several of them are making their first-ever trip to New York, and as someone who grew up going to school field trips there, I have always found it to be a lot of fun to meet someone who's experiencing it for the first time.
Anyway, don't panic if things slow down a bit today. I am going up to Bristol for a meeting and then stopping back in Manhattan on the way home for another pre-draft event at which I hope to do some interviews that will assist me in writing intelligent and informative stories and columns on the players your favorite teams draft Thursday night. There will be posts today, but as I said, it could get a little slow. You get me all night Thursday and Friday and all day Saturday, so you'll have plenty of time to get sick of me before this is all said and done. And in the meantime, you know I'd never let you go a day without your links.
Dallas Cowboys
One of the topics Tony Romo addressed during his news conference Tuesday was the amount of time he has left as the starting quarterback of the Cowboys. Romo, who just turned 32, says he hasn't thought about it because, "Unless you start to regress in your abilities, that doesn't enter your thoughts." I think Romo's of a different mind on this issue than a lot of Cowboys fans are, and I think the team is as well. If the Cowboys draft a quarterback in the middle or late rounds this weekend, it will say more about their feelings on Stephen McGee as capable backup than it will about long-term worries about life after Romo.
In non-Romo news, Anthony Spencer showed up and worked out at the team facility on the day after he signed his franchise tender. Spencer's still hoping for a long-term deal, and it still doesn't look as though he's going to get one anytime soon.
New York Giants
Eli Manning joked that, in spite of the Giants' Super Bowl championship, he's still the third-most talked-about quarterback in New York. I think he's right, though I feel fairly certain that young Mark Sanchez would be happy to trade places with him in those rankings.
We have written a lot lately on this blog about the Giants and their approach to the draft. Peter King has a pretty outstanding in-depth look at the way the Giants have been built, and it's worth a read for non-Giants fans as well.
Philadelphia Eagles
If the Eagles want to get a player like Fletcher Cox or Luke Kuechly in the first round Thursday, it looks as though they may have to trade up. They can, since they have enough picks, and they might, if they decide one of those guys is worth it. A trade-up is just one of the scenarios Jonathan Tamari examines for the Eagles.
The Atlanta Falcons are indeed trying to trade for Asante Samuel, who at this point has to be dealt before the end of the draft or the Eagles are going to have a big problem. And again, it's not that Samuel can't play anymore. It's a salary dump for cap room they'll need to sign LeSean McCoy and their draft picks. Don't be surprised if all they get is a sixth-round pick.
Washington Redskins
The answer to the popular question of whether Graham Gano is safe as the Redskins' kicker became a very loud "no" on Tuesday when it was revealed that Neil Rackers has agreed to contract terms with Washington. I guess they'll bring them both to camp and let them fight it out, but Rackers' resume indicates that he's well-equipped to win the fight.
Rich Campbell's already up here, tailing Robert Griffin III around the Big Apple, and Griffin says the meetings he's had over the past several weeks with Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have been useful and productive. You will continue to read more about Griffin on this blog over the next 48 hours.
Anyway, don't panic if things slow down a bit today. I am going up to Bristol for a meeting and then stopping back in Manhattan on the way home for another pre-draft event at which I hope to do some interviews that will assist me in writing intelligent and informative stories and columns on the players your favorite teams draft Thursday night. There will be posts today, but as I said, it could get a little slow. You get me all night Thursday and Friday and all day Saturday, so you'll have plenty of time to get sick of me before this is all said and done. And in the meantime, you know I'd never let you go a day without your links.
Dallas Cowboys
One of the topics Tony Romo addressed during his news conference Tuesday was the amount of time he has left as the starting quarterback of the Cowboys. Romo, who just turned 32, says he hasn't thought about it because, "Unless you start to regress in your abilities, that doesn't enter your thoughts." I think Romo's of a different mind on this issue than a lot of Cowboys fans are, and I think the team is as well. If the Cowboys draft a quarterback in the middle or late rounds this weekend, it will say more about their feelings on Stephen McGee as capable backup than it will about long-term worries about life after Romo.
In non-Romo news, Anthony Spencer showed up and worked out at the team facility on the day after he signed his franchise tender. Spencer's still hoping for a long-term deal, and it still doesn't look as though he's going to get one anytime soon.
New York Giants
Eli Manning joked that, in spite of the Giants' Super Bowl championship, he's still the third-most talked-about quarterback in New York. I think he's right, though I feel fairly certain that young Mark Sanchez would be happy to trade places with him in those rankings.
We have written a lot lately on this blog about the Giants and their approach to the draft. Peter King has a pretty outstanding in-depth look at the way the Giants have been built, and it's worth a read for non-Giants fans as well.
Philadelphia Eagles
If the Eagles want to get a player like Fletcher Cox or Luke Kuechly in the first round Thursday, it looks as though they may have to trade up. They can, since they have enough picks, and they might, if they decide one of those guys is worth it. A trade-up is just one of the scenarios Jonathan Tamari examines for the Eagles.
The Atlanta Falcons are indeed trying to trade for Asante Samuel, who at this point has to be dealt before the end of the draft or the Eagles are going to have a big problem. And again, it's not that Samuel can't play anymore. It's a salary dump for cap room they'll need to sign LeSean McCoy and their draft picks. Don't be surprised if all they get is a sixth-round pick.
Washington Redskins
The answer to the popular question of whether Graham Gano is safe as the Redskins' kicker became a very loud "no" on Tuesday when it was revealed that Neil Rackers has agreed to contract terms with Washington. I guess they'll bring them both to camp and let them fight it out, but Rackers' resume indicates that he's well-equipped to win the fight.
Rich Campbell's already up here, tailing Robert Griffin III around the Big Apple, and Griffin says the meetings he's had over the past several weeks with Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have been useful and productive. You will continue to read more about Griffin on this blog over the next 48 hours.
I have been swamped today with the ESPN blogger mock draft, but since we've been talking about Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer a lot lately, it's worth a blog post noting that he's signed his franchise tender and therefore agreed to play for $8.8 million in 2012 absent the long-term deal he continues to hope the Cowboys give him.
This is not a surprise, and I believe it would be a surprise if the Cowboys did extend Spencer at this time. My belief is that they want to see him play this year and see whether he shows the improvement they're seeking in the pass rush before committing to him long-term.
To answer one question I've received a few times since this news broke, however: No, I don't think this changes the Cowboys' plans for the first round of the draft. I think they're going to go with the best defensive player available at that No. 14 spot, and that's what I think they should do. Someone asked me on Twitter if the Spencer news makes it more likely that the Cowboys would take a pass-rusher, such as Courtney Upshaw, with that pick. If anything, I'd say it makes it less likely, since the only way it looked as though they were going to do that was if they planned to rescind Spencer's franchise tender and cut him. That option is off the table now, and it looks as though (barring some surprise trade), Spencer is on the team in 2012 in his outside linebacker spot opposite DeMarcus Ware.
This is not a surprise, and I believe it would be a surprise if the Cowboys did extend Spencer at this time. My belief is that they want to see him play this year and see whether he shows the improvement they're seeking in the pass rush before committing to him long-term.
To answer one question I've received a few times since this news broke, however: No, I don't think this changes the Cowboys' plans for the first round of the draft. I think they're going to go with the best defensive player available at that No. 14 spot, and that's what I think they should do. Someone asked me on Twitter if the Spencer news makes it more likely that the Cowboys would take a pass-rusher, such as Courtney Upshaw, with that pick. If anything, I'd say it makes it less likely, since the only way it looked as though they were going to do that was if they planned to rescind Spencer's franchise tender and cut him. That option is off the table now, and it looks as though (barring some surprise trade), Spencer is on the team in 2012 in his outside linebacker spot opposite DeMarcus Ware.
So it sounds as though Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer might possibly be thinking about maybe signing his franchise tender this week. Todd Archer checked in with Spencer's new agent, Jordan Woy, who said he and the team "went over several proposals" late last week, though the Cowboys have yet to offer a multi-year deal, which is what Spencer has said he wants: Woy said Spencer would not take part in the conditioning program until he signs the tender and a decision would be made early this week.
Until Spencer signs the franchise tender, the Cowboys have the right to rescind the tag. It is possible they could trade Spencer before or during the upcoming draft.
If there were a pass-rushing outside linebacker the Cowboys loved and were planning to draft Thursday night, Spencer might have something to worry about. The Cowboys could draft said player, rescind Spencer's franchise tender and set him loose on a free-agent market that's extremely unlikely to compensate him as much this season as the Cowboys' franchise tender would. The good news for Spencer is that such a player does not appear to be a possibility at No. 14 for the Cowboys. The bad news for Spencer is that the leverage in this situation remains with the Cowboys, as his choice right now is between signing the tender and holding out.
If I were a betting man (and as we have discussed here many times, I am not), I'd bet on Spencer showing up at some point during the offseason program and playing for the $8.8 million. There are surely worse problems in the world, and who knows? If he can come up with nine or 10 sacks this year, that long-term deal he's looking for might be there for him next offseason, be it from the Cowboys or some other team.
Weekend mailbag: Redskins running backs
April, 21, 2012
Apr 21
11:36
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
You know, when you submit mailbag questions, you're supposed to give your name, location and e-mail address. Just sayin.
Orangeskins from oompa loompa land saw Adam Schefter's report late Friday that running back Tim Hightower was visiting the Patriots and asks whether the Washington Redskins have given up on trying to re-sign him.
Dan Graziano: No, they have not. The Redskins still like Hightower an awful lot, and if he's fully recovered from his ACL tear they would love to have him back as their starting running back in 2012. Yes, ahead of youngsters Roy Helu and Evan Royster. Mike Shanahan loves Hightower, whom he views as an every-down runner, a good receiving back and a help in pass protection as well. He's not sold on either of last year's rookies as the total package yet, and so the Redskins' ideal plans for 2012 include a healthy Hightower at the front of their running back corps. Now, the question is how much they want to offer him before they're sure he's healthy again, and if he's getting interest from other teams, his price could stray beyond what they're willing to risk. Ryan Grant and Joseph Addai were also reportedly in New England for visits this week, so it remains to be seen what the chances are of Hightower signing there. If he does, the Redskins will look for a veteran back or two to add to the Helu/Royster mix.
Joseph Kony from Antarctica asks whether I share his belief that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning's production will drop now that his big brother is back in the league this year. Joseph believes that "without the pressure of having to compete with his brother, Eli was able to have his best statistical year and win the SB... again."
DG: I think that's a reach, Joseph. Eli Manning's career arc is one of steady improvement year over year, with the one exception being the interception total from 2010. He's an excellent player in his own right, obviously mentally tough enough that no one should still be questioning the way in which he handles the fact that his big brother operates in the same profession. I would have thought the second Super Bowl ring would have eliminated questions about Eli and Peyton's shadow. But your question reinforces my sad theory that people are always going to believe what they want to believe, even in the face of evidence to the contrary.
Robert Shipman of Mobile, Ala., a Crimson Tide fan, likes the idea of safety Mark Barron going to the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 14 pick but wonders if the Cowboys might consider outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw instead as a pass-rushing complement to DeMarcus Ware.
DG: From everything I've been told about Dallas' mindset, they have evaluated Upshaw and Melvin Ingram and the other pass-rushers at the top of the draft and decided that they're all pretty much similar players to Anthony Spencer. And since they have Spencer on the franchise tag already, they believe the best way to maximize the value of that pick is to look at other positions. If they drafted Upshaw, it would be because they'd decided to rescind the franchise player designation and let Spencer leave as a free agent, and that doesn't seem a likely course of action. I think if both players were there at 14, they'd take Barron. The question at this point seems to be whether Barron will last that long.
Zach Iseminger of Southland, Texas recalls that last year, the Philadelphia Eagles for the first time gave responsibility for calling the offensive line protections at the line of scrimmage to quarterback Michael Vick. "Obviously there were other factors like a new O Line coach and a new blocking scheme and two rookies starting on the line, but just curious if a full off season with OTAs will help this year."
DG: It certainly could. I remember writing about this change last year at the Eagles' opener in St. Louis. Howard Mudd likes giving the quarterback the ability to call changes in protection based on what he sees at the line, and that game was the first time Vick had that responsibility. The pass protection did improve as the year went along, as everybody on the line got used to each other and to Mudd. It's still tough to block for Vick, who likes to try to keep plays alive as long as any quarterback in the league does. And the loss of left tackle Jason Peters is going to have a negative effect. But to answer your basic question, yes. As I tell my kids, the best way to get better at anything is to practice, and more practice identifying defensive schemes and calling those protections at the line can only help Vick.
Keep the questions coming, folks. Next Saturday, we'll be writing about the fourth through seventh rounds of the draft instead, but maybe we'll do this on Sunday.
Orangeskins from oompa loompa land saw Adam Schefter's report late Friday that running back Tim Hightower was visiting the Patriots and asks whether the Washington Redskins have given up on trying to re-sign him.
Dan Graziano: No, they have not. The Redskins still like Hightower an awful lot, and if he's fully recovered from his ACL tear they would love to have him back as their starting running back in 2012. Yes, ahead of youngsters Roy Helu and Evan Royster. Mike Shanahan loves Hightower, whom he views as an every-down runner, a good receiving back and a help in pass protection as well. He's not sold on either of last year's rookies as the total package yet, and so the Redskins' ideal plans for 2012 include a healthy Hightower at the front of their running back corps. Now, the question is how much they want to offer him before they're sure he's healthy again, and if he's getting interest from other teams, his price could stray beyond what they're willing to risk. Ryan Grant and Joseph Addai were also reportedly in New England for visits this week, so it remains to be seen what the chances are of Hightower signing there. If he does, the Redskins will look for a veteran back or two to add to the Helu/Royster mix.
Joseph Kony from Antarctica asks whether I share his belief that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning's production will drop now that his big brother is back in the league this year. Joseph believes that "without the pressure of having to compete with his brother, Eli was able to have his best statistical year and win the SB... again."
DG: I think that's a reach, Joseph. Eli Manning's career arc is one of steady improvement year over year, with the one exception being the interception total from 2010. He's an excellent player in his own right, obviously mentally tough enough that no one should still be questioning the way in which he handles the fact that his big brother operates in the same profession. I would have thought the second Super Bowl ring would have eliminated questions about Eli and Peyton's shadow. But your question reinforces my sad theory that people are always going to believe what they want to believe, even in the face of evidence to the contrary.
Robert Shipman of Mobile, Ala., a Crimson Tide fan, likes the idea of safety Mark Barron going to the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 14 pick but wonders if the Cowboys might consider outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw instead as a pass-rushing complement to DeMarcus Ware.
DG: From everything I've been told about Dallas' mindset, they have evaluated Upshaw and Melvin Ingram and the other pass-rushers at the top of the draft and decided that they're all pretty much similar players to Anthony Spencer. And since they have Spencer on the franchise tag already, they believe the best way to maximize the value of that pick is to look at other positions. If they drafted Upshaw, it would be because they'd decided to rescind the franchise player designation and let Spencer leave as a free agent, and that doesn't seem a likely course of action. I think if both players were there at 14, they'd take Barron. The question at this point seems to be whether Barron will last that long.
Zach Iseminger of Southland, Texas recalls that last year, the Philadelphia Eagles for the first time gave responsibility for calling the offensive line protections at the line of scrimmage to quarterback Michael Vick. "Obviously there were other factors like a new O Line coach and a new blocking scheme and two rookies starting on the line, but just curious if a full off season with OTAs will help this year."
DG: It certainly could. I remember writing about this change last year at the Eagles' opener in St. Louis. Howard Mudd likes giving the quarterback the ability to call changes in protection based on what he sees at the line, and that game was the first time Vick had that responsibility. The pass protection did improve as the year went along, as everybody on the line got used to each other and to Mudd. It's still tough to block for Vick, who likes to try to keep plays alive as long as any quarterback in the league does. And the loss of left tackle Jason Peters is going to have a negative effect. But to answer your basic question, yes. As I tell my kids, the best way to get better at anything is to practice, and more practice identifying defensive schemes and calling those protections at the line can only help Vick.
Keep the questions coming, folks. Next Saturday, we'll be writing about the fourth through seventh rounds of the draft instead, but maybe we'll do this on Sunday.
Miles Austin says he wasn't in top shape
April, 17, 2012
Apr 17
5:32
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
I mean, when you miss 37 percent of the season with hamstring injuries, this kind of thing hardly qualifies as a shocking announcement. But Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin says he wasn't in his best physical shape last year. From an interview Austin did with Men's Health, via Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com, we have this:
Yeah, man. When you're a professional athlete whose entire job and livelihood depend on attaining and delivering your best possible physical performance, and pretty much your only job for 349 days of the year is to exercise, then yeah. I would say that's something on which it's worth keeping an eye. But hey, everybody learns their lessons differently, I guess.
I don't have a lot else to say about this, except that it reminds me a little of last summer when Anthony Spencer told me he'd realized he hadn't been trying hard every day in practice, and that sometimes the things pro athletes say make me shake my head. I guess it's good that the Cowboys have guys who are so self-aware?
"I'm feeling great right now, by the way," Austin said in a video interview for Men's Health magazine. "Right now I'm working with the trainers at our facility. I feel like last year, I wasn't prepared for the season in the way I should have been condition-wise, even though I looked and felt like it at the time. That's one thing I have to keep an eye on, to make sure I'm in the best physical shape I can be."
Yeah, man. When you're a professional athlete whose entire job and livelihood depend on attaining and delivering your best possible physical performance, and pretty much your only job for 349 days of the year is to exercise, then yeah. I would say that's something on which it's worth keeping an eye. But hey, everybody learns their lessons differently, I guess.
I don't have a lot else to say about this, except that it reminds me a little of last summer when Anthony Spencer told me he'd realized he hadn't been trying hard every day in practice, and that sometimes the things pro athletes say make me shake my head. I guess it's good that the Cowboys have guys who are so self-aware?
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.
