NFC East: Dan Snyder
It's Friday. They're links. Click 'em.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer explains the reasoning behind the aggressive yet specific approach the Cowboys have so far taken to free agency.
Dallas could save nearly $6 million more against this year's cap by doing a long-term deal with franchise player Anthony Spencer. But Stephen Jones says they're in no rush to do that. The Cowboys cleared nearly $16 million in cap room earlier this week by cutting Terence Newman and David Buehler and restructuring the contracts of Doug Free and Orlando Scandrick.
New York Giants
It's been more than two years since Marvin Austin appeared in a football game, and as Ohm Youngmisuk found out, he's working on what may turn out to be a career in the music business. The former North Carolina defensive lineman, who was the Giants' second-round pick in 2011, remains eager to get back on the field this fall after an injury wiped out his rookie season.
Mario Manningham's free-agent tour stopped in San Francisco on Thursday, but he didn't sign with the 49ers. He's off to St. Louis next and may still be on Miami's radar. Those wondering if he's still got a chance to return to the Giants are likely to be disappointed. This much outside interest means his price tag will soar well beyond what they want to pay their No. 3 wide receiver.
Philadelphia Eagles
DeSean Jackson is relieved and excited to have his long-term deal with the Eagles at long last. He says he believes he will win a Super Bowl with the Eagles, and that he never once worried he wouldn't be able to stay in Philadelphia. Jackson's deal is very team-favorable, as he's likely to realize at some point during it. But his satisfaction now shows, I think, that all he wanted was a little show of faith and respect. It didn't take as much to make him happy as most of us imagined it would.
Eagles free-agent guard Evan Mathis stayed the night in Baltimore, where the Ravens are trying to sign him. The Eagles have made it clear they want him back, but it's entirely possible they get outbid.
Washington Redskins
Newly signed Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather says he's looking forward to working with new Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris. And asked how he'd describe his game, Meriweather answered, "Soon to be showcased live," which is not much of a description but keeps making me laugh for some reason. It's conceivable that I haven't had a sufficient amount of sleep.
The NFL's decision to strip the Redskins of $36 million in cap room for failing to adhere to a 2010 salary cap that only existed in the league's collective mind has had a bizarre effect in Washington. It's prompting people to take Redskins owner Dan Snyder's side.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer explains the reasoning behind the aggressive yet specific approach the Cowboys have so far taken to free agency.
Dallas could save nearly $6 million more against this year's cap by doing a long-term deal with franchise player Anthony Spencer. But Stephen Jones says they're in no rush to do that. The Cowboys cleared nearly $16 million in cap room earlier this week by cutting Terence Newman and David Buehler and restructuring the contracts of Doug Free and Orlando Scandrick.
New York Giants
It's been more than two years since Marvin Austin appeared in a football game, and as Ohm Youngmisuk found out, he's working on what may turn out to be a career in the music business. The former North Carolina defensive lineman, who was the Giants' second-round pick in 2011, remains eager to get back on the field this fall after an injury wiped out his rookie season.
Mario Manningham's free-agent tour stopped in San Francisco on Thursday, but he didn't sign with the 49ers. He's off to St. Louis next and may still be on Miami's radar. Those wondering if he's still got a chance to return to the Giants are likely to be disappointed. This much outside interest means his price tag will soar well beyond what they want to pay their No. 3 wide receiver.
Philadelphia Eagles
DeSean Jackson is relieved and excited to have his long-term deal with the Eagles at long last. He says he believes he will win a Super Bowl with the Eagles, and that he never once worried he wouldn't be able to stay in Philadelphia. Jackson's deal is very team-favorable, as he's likely to realize at some point during it. But his satisfaction now shows, I think, that all he wanted was a little show of faith and respect. It didn't take as much to make him happy as most of us imagined it would.
Eagles free-agent guard Evan Mathis stayed the night in Baltimore, where the Ravens are trying to sign him. The Eagles have made it clear they want him back, but it's entirely possible they get outbid.
Washington Redskins
Newly signed Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather says he's looking forward to working with new Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris. And asked how he'd describe his game, Meriweather answered, "Soon to be showcased live," which is not much of a description but keeps making me laugh for some reason. It's conceivable that I haven't had a sufficient amount of sleep.
The NFL's decision to strip the Redskins of $36 million in cap room for failing to adhere to a 2010 salary cap that only existed in the league's collective mind has had a bizarre effect in Washington. It's prompting people to take Redskins owner Dan Snyder's side.
Look, I'd love to keep hammering the NFL for its ridiculous decision earlier this week to strip the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys of $36 million and $10 million, respectively, in cap room over the next two years. The league deserves to be hammered, and almost everyone else (just as the league hoped they would) is ignoring the story in favor of free agency. But the fact is that there is almost nothing the Redskins or Cowboys can do about this, and the few avenues available to them are avenues they're extremely unlikely to pursue.
When the story broke Monday, my first thought, as I wrote at the time, was that the owners appeared to have engaged in collusion by conspiring to limit spending in the uncapped 2010 season and that the Cowboys and Redskins were being punished for not going along with that plan. So I reached out to ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson and asked him if I was on the right track. Here's his response:
I share his doubt. The idea of Jerry Jones or Daniel Snyder bringing an antitrust suit against the other members of a cartel of which they themselves are members is farfetched to say the least. I know that the Redskins, at least, have made inquiries about how they can fight these penalties, but the odds are that nothing ends up happening on that front.
The NFLPA isn't going to be any help either. They agreed as part of the Brady settlement at the end of the lockout to drop all pending litigation against the league, including the collusion charges they were intending to pursue. And while they could technically revisit those charges in light of the stunning new evidence the league has presented that it did, in fact, engage in collusive behavior during the uncapped year, don't hold your breath. The NFLPA (as we also reported Monday) agreed to these penalties last weekend in a settlement after the league threatened to cut this year's salary cap by $4 million or $5 million per team. It's highly doubtful the union, which was blindsided by this whole thing, is eager to open those negotiations back up.
The NFL is remorseless in its arrogance and its hypocrisy. It doesn't believe it has to answer to anyone. The lockout (which was clearly a sham, since we now know the league was instructing teams on how to behave while awaiting what it considered an inevitable solution) was more proof of that than anyone should ever need. This latest incident is just a far more narrowly focused example of the same thing. The Cowboys and the Redskins did something the rest of the owners didn't like, so the rest of the owners ganged up on them and took away some of their money. Mob justice, sanctioned by the commissioner. It's not right. It's not fair. But in the end, there's almost nothing the Cowboys and Redskins can do about it.
When the story broke Monday, my first thought, as I wrote at the time, was that the owners appeared to have engaged in collusion by conspiring to limit spending in the uncapped 2010 season and that the Cowboys and Redskins were being punished for not going along with that plan. So I reached out to ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson and asked him if I was on the right track. Here's his response:
The NFL collusion clause (Article 17, P. 119) in the new CBA is very narrow in its definition of collusion. It applies only to certain contract procedures and any agreement among owners that would restrict the offers made to players. It is limited to multi-team decisions on whether to negotiate with a particular player, whether to submit an offer sheet, whether to offer a contract, and whether to include a right of first refusal. It is nothing like the broad anti-collusion clause that became famous in MLB. There is nothing in the NFL definition of collusion that applies to the Dallas and Washington frontloading of contracts. What the league did certainly sounds like what we normally think of as collusion, but it does not appear to violate anything in the CBA. If Dallas or Washington want to do something about the penalties, they would be forced to rely on an antitrust action, an enormous undertaking. It would be similar to the numerous cases that Al Davis filed over the years. I doubt that either Jones or Snyder would be willing to undertake so massive an effort.
I share his doubt. The idea of Jerry Jones or Daniel Snyder bringing an antitrust suit against the other members of a cartel of which they themselves are members is farfetched to say the least. I know that the Redskins, at least, have made inquiries about how they can fight these penalties, but the odds are that nothing ends up happening on that front.
The NFLPA isn't going to be any help either. They agreed as part of the Brady settlement at the end of the lockout to drop all pending litigation against the league, including the collusion charges they were intending to pursue. And while they could technically revisit those charges in light of the stunning new evidence the league has presented that it did, in fact, engage in collusive behavior during the uncapped year, don't hold your breath. The NFLPA (as we also reported Monday) agreed to these penalties last weekend in a settlement after the league threatened to cut this year's salary cap by $4 million or $5 million per team. It's highly doubtful the union, which was blindsided by this whole thing, is eager to open those negotiations back up.
The NFL is remorseless in its arrogance and its hypocrisy. It doesn't believe it has to answer to anyone. The lockout (which was clearly a sham, since we now know the league was instructing teams on how to behave while awaiting what it considered an inevitable solution) was more proof of that than anyone should ever need. This latest incident is just a far more narrowly focused example of the same thing. The Cowboys and the Redskins did something the rest of the owners didn't like, so the rest of the owners ganged up on them and took away some of their money. Mob justice, sanctioned by the commissioner. It's not right. It's not fair. But in the end, there's almost nothing the Cowboys and Redskins can do about it.
The first full day of the new NFL year dawns with the Redskins piling up receivers and the rest of our division still at work on the early part of free agency. Tuesday was a crazy, action-filled day, and the links offer us an opportunity to summarize, analyze or catch up on some things that maybe didn't get as much attention as they otherwise would have. Love the links.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys did not tender any of their restricted free agents, including fullback Tony Fiammetta, who performed well last year as the lead blocker for breakout star running back DeMarco Murray. This of course makes it less likely that they'll be able to bring back Fiammetta, and as Todd Archer speculates, it's likely the result of the salary-cap penalty issued by the league Monday for the Cowboys having the audacity to spend whatever they wanted to spend during a season that had no salary cap. Fiammetta says they're still talking, but that the non-tender was a "game-changer."
There's a prevalent assumption that, since their in-person talks wore on deep into the night, the Cowboys will succeed in signing free-agent cornerback Brandon Carr. Even if they do, however, it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to look at a cornerback with their first-round pick in next month's draft. To that end, and as part of its draft preview series, ESPNDallas.com looks at North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins and what he offers as a first-round option.
New York Giants
Mike Garafolo has the full breakdown of the contract Terrell Thomas signed Tuesday. While Thomas announced it as a $28.4 million deal over four years, Mike points out that the base value of the deal is $17.4 million and that $28.4 million is the maximum value. But Mike also points out that the extra money is easily attainable if Thomas is recovered from his injury and able to rack up the playing time that a starting NFL cornerback would normally get. In other words, if Thomas hits all of the incentives that max out the contract, the Giants would have no problem compensating him for it. But if he doesn't, they're covered. Fine deal both ways.
Perhaps in part because of reports that Brandon Jacobs visited the Giants' team facility on Tuesday, Justin Tuck is holding out hope that Jacobs might still be able to return to the Giants. I do not think Tuck should hold out this hope. A Jacobs return at this point is a serious long shot that would require him to receive almost no interest from other teams and for the Giants to sign no replacement while he looks. These are two unlikely scenarios, and the combination of the two is nearly inconceivable. Jacobs will play elsewhere in 2012.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles didn't go out on the free-agent market the first day. They stayed in-house and took care of extensions for two of their own players -- tackle Todd Herremans and defensive end Trent Cole. Jeff McLane explains the thinking behind this. But don't worry, Eagles fans. It was only the first day. They didn't do anything on the first day last year either, if I recall correctly, but they eventually caught up.
If you're looking for linebacker-target names, there's a report that the Eagles are bringing in Ben Leber for a workout. Leber is a former Vikings and Chargers linebacker who was cut by the Rams last year. It's entirely possible that this is the depth of the free-agent pool in which the Eagles plan to play this year, and that the big-splash signing doesn't happen. Not certain, but possible.
Washington Redskins
It seemed, for a time Tuesday, that the Redskins had signed wide receiver Eddie Royal to go along with wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan. But we got a Lee Corso-style "not so fast, my friend" on that Tuesday night when we learned that the Royal deal was not done and that he was, in fact, still talking to other teams. I wonder if Royal got cold feet when he saw that he was one of three being signed on the first day and might be looking for better playing-time options. If the Redskins do succeed in signing him, he could upgrade their return game as well as their wide receiving corps.
Sally Jenkins thinks there's a personal element to what the NFL did to Dan Snyder (and, to a lesser extent, Jerry Jones) with the salary-cap sanctions -- that Snyder is paying the price for making enemies around the league and not toeing the establishment line. I have no problem with this theory. What the NFL did is wrong and ridiculous, and smacks of something petty. Yes, Snyder spent more than anyone else did in the uncapped year after the owners supposedly all got together and secretly agreed not to do that. But that doesn't make him the crook -- just the guy who wouldn't go along with all the rest of the crooks.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys did not tender any of their restricted free agents, including fullback Tony Fiammetta, who performed well last year as the lead blocker for breakout star running back DeMarco Murray. This of course makes it less likely that they'll be able to bring back Fiammetta, and as Todd Archer speculates, it's likely the result of the salary-cap penalty issued by the league Monday for the Cowboys having the audacity to spend whatever they wanted to spend during a season that had no salary cap. Fiammetta says they're still talking, but that the non-tender was a "game-changer."
There's a prevalent assumption that, since their in-person talks wore on deep into the night, the Cowboys will succeed in signing free-agent cornerback Brandon Carr. Even if they do, however, it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to look at a cornerback with their first-round pick in next month's draft. To that end, and as part of its draft preview series, ESPNDallas.com looks at North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins and what he offers as a first-round option.
New York Giants
Mike Garafolo has the full breakdown of the contract Terrell Thomas signed Tuesday. While Thomas announced it as a $28.4 million deal over four years, Mike points out that the base value of the deal is $17.4 million and that $28.4 million is the maximum value. But Mike also points out that the extra money is easily attainable if Thomas is recovered from his injury and able to rack up the playing time that a starting NFL cornerback would normally get. In other words, if Thomas hits all of the incentives that max out the contract, the Giants would have no problem compensating him for it. But if he doesn't, they're covered. Fine deal both ways.
Perhaps in part because of reports that Brandon Jacobs visited the Giants' team facility on Tuesday, Justin Tuck is holding out hope that Jacobs might still be able to return to the Giants. I do not think Tuck should hold out this hope. A Jacobs return at this point is a serious long shot that would require him to receive almost no interest from other teams and for the Giants to sign no replacement while he looks. These are two unlikely scenarios, and the combination of the two is nearly inconceivable. Jacobs will play elsewhere in 2012.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles didn't go out on the free-agent market the first day. They stayed in-house and took care of extensions for two of their own players -- tackle Todd Herremans and defensive end Trent Cole. Jeff McLane explains the thinking behind this. But don't worry, Eagles fans. It was only the first day. They didn't do anything on the first day last year either, if I recall correctly, but they eventually caught up.
If you're looking for linebacker-target names, there's a report that the Eagles are bringing in Ben Leber for a workout. Leber is a former Vikings and Chargers linebacker who was cut by the Rams last year. It's entirely possible that this is the depth of the free-agent pool in which the Eagles plan to play this year, and that the big-splash signing doesn't happen. Not certain, but possible.
Washington Redskins
It seemed, for a time Tuesday, that the Redskins had signed wide receiver Eddie Royal to go along with wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan. But we got a Lee Corso-style "not so fast, my friend" on that Tuesday night when we learned that the Royal deal was not done and that he was, in fact, still talking to other teams. I wonder if Royal got cold feet when he saw that he was one of three being signed on the first day and might be looking for better playing-time options. If the Redskins do succeed in signing him, he could upgrade their return game as well as their wide receiving corps.
Sally Jenkins thinks there's a personal element to what the NFL did to Dan Snyder (and, to a lesser extent, Jerry Jones) with the salary-cap sanctions -- that Snyder is paying the price for making enemies around the league and not toeing the establishment line. I have no problem with this theory. What the NFL did is wrong and ridiculous, and smacks of something petty. Yes, Snyder spent more than anyone else did in the uncapped year after the owners supposedly all got together and secretly agreed not to do that. But that doesn't make him the crook -- just the guy who wouldn't go along with all the rest of the crooks.
These aren't the 'same old Redskins'
February, 21, 2012
Feb 21
12:30
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Geoff Burke/US PresswireSince Mike Shanahan's arrival, the Redskins' personnel decisions have been more disciplined.How else to explain the horrified reaction by a quarterback-starved fan base to the idea of signing Peyton Manning? Judging by the reactions from the folks in our comments section all the way up to the mayor of Washington, D.C., you'd think we were talking about handing the starting quarterback's job to Dan Snyder's teenage nephew. This is what Mayor Vincent Gray had to say on the topic to a D.C. television station last week:
"You know, I think it depends on what role he would play, Bruce," Gray said. "But I really think the Redskins need a quarterback that they can build with for the future. You know, Andrew Luck is probably going to go to the Colts, but there's Robert Griffin III, and there's a couple other promising quarterbacks that are out there. We've kind of been down this pathway with quarterbacks who've been great but maybe are in the back end of their career, and even if he comes in and plays a year or two, where do we go from there?"
Well, jeez, Mr. Mayor. At that point, you go with the guy you drafted in 2013 because you weren't able to trade up and get Griffin in 2012. Or you go with a young guy you picked later in that draft who's been apprenticing for a year or two under Peyton Manning, for goodness' sake. What Gray and many other Redskins fans seem to be missing here is that Mike Shanahan can't just go to the "franchise quarterback" aisle at the Wegman's down the road from the team's Ashburn, Va., training facility and pick one. Only one team's going to get Griffin, and if the Redskins aren't that team, they need to have a good Plan B. If Manning is fully healthy and shows he can throw the ball the way he was throwing it two years ago before his neck injury, he's the greatest Plan B in alphabetically themed planning history.
Redskins fans, the mayor included, are looking at this whole thing through the disappointing prism of free-agent signing periods past. I'm hearing names such as Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, Albert Haynesworth and yeah, Donovan McNabb -- a list of big-name, star players the Redskins brought in to great fanfare and who flopped for one reason or another. Because of this, the chorus moans, Manning isn't the way to go. The Redskins have done the big-name/big-contract thing before and it just never works out. They need to stop doing business this way.
Well, guess what? They kind of already have. Yeah, McNabb was a mistake -- a flyer Shanahan took thinking he could re-light a spark that had gone out in Philadelphia and maybe sneak into the playoffs in his first year in Washington. He acknowledges it was a risk that didn't work out. But (a) Manning is not McNabb, who was no longer driven to excel by the time the Redskins got him and (b) the McNabb acquisition is an outlier among the moves Shanahan and Bruce Allen have made since taking over personnel decisions two years ago. Everything else they've done in the draft and free agency has been focused, sober and competent, and they deserve the benefit of the doubt, even from Redskins fans scarred by the mistakes of past administrations.
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AP Photo/Frederick BreedonAdding Peyton Manning for the right price would make a lot of sense for the Redskins.
AP Photo/Frederick BreedonAdding Peyton Manning for the right price would make a lot of sense for the Redskins.In the meantime, there is free agency, and although the Redskins didn't make a big splash last summer, they did very well in free agency. Shanahan targeted specific players in the 27- to 29-year-old age group -- guys he believed were already established but still young and hungry enough to grow and develop with the team. He plans to use the same formula this year to address wide receiver, offensive line and the secondary. He's not after the biggest name out there. He's after the specific types of players he believes his team needs in order to build a consistent, year-to-year winner.
Which brings us back to Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Shanahan's not going to give Manning a big, five-year, huge-money deal. I don't think anyone is, given the health concerns, but if the market gets that crazy, I don't expect the Redskins to play in it. It just wouldn't be smart. Bringing Manning in on a one-year or two-year deal with incentives to allow him to prove he's healthy is smart, because if Manning is healthy, he's worth as much as any quarterback in the league.
That's the important thing to remember here, Redskins fans. Manning isn't a "fading star" who's past his prime. He was, before his neck injury, playing at as high a level as any quarterback in the league. He got hurt and missed a season. Now, it appears he'll be available again. And if he shows teams he can throw the ball the way he did in 2010, he's a smart short-term investment for a team that needs a quarterback answer now and for the future. The ideal solution would be both, but if that's not out there, the Redskins need to be smart about addressing the former while keeping their eye on the latter. So far, the Shanahan regime has shown that it doesn't do business like those "same old Redskins" who've hurt you so many times.
NFC East links: Peyton and the Redskins
February, 9, 2012
Feb 9
9:09
AM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
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.
Breakfast links: Giants 'can't be beat?'
January, 17, 2012
Jan 17
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Little bit of snow and ice on the ground here as I went to bed last night, but it all seems to have melted away by morning. Must be the proximity to those red-hot Giants.
Also hot, fresh and ready to go are today's links.
New York Giants
Antrel Rolle articulates the vibe emanating from every corner of the Giants' locker room and organization at this point. "In our minds," he says, "we can't be beat." I've said this a few times over the past week or so: There's something about the way these guys are saying this that, when you hear it, doesn't sound arrogant. I know that's crazy to say, but the sincerity with which this team believes in its own abilities right now is striking. I've covered championship Yankee baseball teams that hedged more when they talked about what they could accomplish. And those guys almost always sounded arrogant!
With the help of some of the participants, Sam Borden and Richard Sandomir relive the last Giants-49ers playoff game from nine years ago. Beware, though, Giants fans who remember the game. It's not for the faint of heart.
Philadelphia Eagles
This Giants run isn't sitting very well in Philadelphia, where fans of the brutally disappointing 2011 Eagles are naturally wondering if their team could have made it this far if it had managed to get itself in the playoffs. Rich Hoffman says no, and he's got a few reasons, not the least of which is the difference between the two teams' quarterbacks.
The DeSean Jackson situation still looms as the most pressing player-related issue the Eagles face this offseason. Garry Cobb writes that, should the Eagles lose Jackson or decide to let him go, it's a good offseason in which to find a replacement No. 1 receiver.
Dallas Cowboys
Calvin Watkins writes that the main difference between the Cowboys and the Giants is that the Giants are more mentally tough. He also writes that the Cowboys have greater personnel deficiencies at offensive line, secondary, pass rush and wide receiver depth than do the Giants. Maybe, maybe not on some of those, but the fact remains, if the Cowboys had just beaten them once, or held on against the Cardinals, this story would read a lot differently. The fact that the Giants have made this run doesn't obscure the fact that the NFC East race could have gone any one of three ways with two weeks to go. What's not in dispute, though -- and never was -- is the Giants' mental toughness. They have that in buckets.
Yeah, and Dez Bryant's in the news again, reportedly having been detained after a fight at a Miami nightclub. Hey, who hasn't been in fight at a Miami nightclub, right? Seriously, though, we obviously don't have all the facts, and it doesn't appear Bryant was arrested. But when you're Dez, and you have Dez's record of off-field knuckleheadery, then justified or not, this goes on the pile, doesn't it?
Washington Redskins
Ryan Kerrigan spoke with his hometown paper about his rookie season with the Redskins, the adjustments he had to make to have the success he had, and what it was like for he and his fellow rookie linebackers to have to buy dinner for the veterans.
Folks in Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Md., have been working on ways to try and get the Redskins to move their training facility to one of those places, but it appears Loudon County, Va., which is where they are now, is going to at least put up a fight. Says here they're offering to build Dan Snyder a Redskins Hall of Fame. Snyder's in luck if multiple entities are bidding against each other for this, of course.
Also hot, fresh and ready to go are today's links.
New York Giants
Antrel Rolle articulates the vibe emanating from every corner of the Giants' locker room and organization at this point. "In our minds," he says, "we can't be beat." I've said this a few times over the past week or so: There's something about the way these guys are saying this that, when you hear it, doesn't sound arrogant. I know that's crazy to say, but the sincerity with which this team believes in its own abilities right now is striking. I've covered championship Yankee baseball teams that hedged more when they talked about what they could accomplish. And those guys almost always sounded arrogant!
With the help of some of the participants, Sam Borden and Richard Sandomir relive the last Giants-49ers playoff game from nine years ago. Beware, though, Giants fans who remember the game. It's not for the faint of heart.
Philadelphia Eagles
This Giants run isn't sitting very well in Philadelphia, where fans of the brutally disappointing 2011 Eagles are naturally wondering if their team could have made it this far if it had managed to get itself in the playoffs. Rich Hoffman says no, and he's got a few reasons, not the least of which is the difference between the two teams' quarterbacks.
The DeSean Jackson situation still looms as the most pressing player-related issue the Eagles face this offseason. Garry Cobb writes that, should the Eagles lose Jackson or decide to let him go, it's a good offseason in which to find a replacement No. 1 receiver.
Dallas Cowboys
Calvin Watkins writes that the main difference between the Cowboys and the Giants is that the Giants are more mentally tough. He also writes that the Cowboys have greater personnel deficiencies at offensive line, secondary, pass rush and wide receiver depth than do the Giants. Maybe, maybe not on some of those, but the fact remains, if the Cowboys had just beaten them once, or held on against the Cardinals, this story would read a lot differently. The fact that the Giants have made this run doesn't obscure the fact that the NFC East race could have gone any one of three ways with two weeks to go. What's not in dispute, though -- and never was -- is the Giants' mental toughness. They have that in buckets.
Yeah, and Dez Bryant's in the news again, reportedly having been detained after a fight at a Miami nightclub. Hey, who hasn't been in fight at a Miami nightclub, right? Seriously, though, we obviously don't have all the facts, and it doesn't appear Bryant was arrested. But when you're Dez, and you have Dez's record of off-field knuckleheadery, then justified or not, this goes on the pile, doesn't it?
Washington Redskins
Ryan Kerrigan spoke with his hometown paper about his rookie season with the Redskins, the adjustments he had to make to have the success he had, and what it was like for he and his fellow rookie linebackers to have to buy dinner for the veterans.
Folks in Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Md., have been working on ways to try and get the Redskins to move their training facility to one of those places, but it appears Loudon County, Va., which is where they are now, is going to at least put up a fight. Says here they're offering to build Dan Snyder a Redskins Hall of Fame. Snyder's in luck if multiple entities are bidding against each other for this, of course.
Wednesday of wild-card playoff week. I'll head to Giants practice to see what's what over there. But you know I won't ignore the rest of the teams in the division. Heck, I have another Mike Shanahan interview post right here ready to go. Oh, and it's All-Division Team day! The last one. Who will be quarterback? Got to mull that one over. Better have some links.
New York Giants
Osi Umenyiora's big game against Dallas in the division-clincher came with a price, Ralph Vacchiano writes, and the ankle injury that kept him out of the previous four games could cost him some practice time this week. No way he misses the playoff game Sunday against the Falcons, though. Question is how much the injury will affect him/allow him to play.
Mike Mazzeo did a post on ESPNNewYork.com looking at Victor Cruz's six most sizzling touchdown catches of the year, and asking you to pick your favorite. I'm going with the 99-yarder against the Jets, but there are some pretty strong candidates, and you can watch the highlight of each one by clicking through on Mike's post.
Philadelphia Eagles
The next big coaching decision, now that Eagles owner Jeff Lurie has announced that Andy Reid is coming back, is what to do about defensive coordinator Juan Castillo. There seems to be agreement that he can't come back in the same role, but no one seems to know what to do with him instead. Tough to just make him the scapegoat when Reid himself gets a pass for a rotten year.
Lurie also said he'd welcome back wide receiver DeSean Jackson "if the right terms develop." As our man Andrew Brandt has written recently, the application of the franchise player designation is supposed to indicate an "intent to sign," not just freeze a guy in place for a year because a team can, and the NFLPA has its eye on these situations. So if the Eagles are serious about keeping Jackson around long term, franchising him could make sense. If all they want to do is keep him away from the Redskins, things could get dicey.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer writes that this offseason will be the first time since he became head coach of the Cowboys that Jason Garrett has some time to prepare and implement his own program. He got the job midseason in 2010, and last year's offseason didn't happen because of the lockout. Patience, people. Garrett is a young coach with room and opportunity to grow and improve.
After Bill Polian got fired in Indianapolis, some people started asking if Jerry Jones would ever consider hiring a GM to replace ... well, himself. Jones made it clear that such an idea is not even remotely under consideration and never will be. And hey, how many other GMs have three Super Bowl titles on their résumé?
Washington Redskins
Chris Cooley says he has no doubt he'll be back in Washington next year. When I talked to Shanahan last week, he mentioned the Cooley injury as a particularly crushing one, since he liked having both Cooley and Fred Davis in the game at the same time because it allowed his offense to "set the perimeter." With two years left on his contract, my sense is that Cooley is right to have no doubt about a return.
Mike Wise writes that there's a difference between stepping back and letting your coach coach the way he wants to, as Dan Snyder promised he would when he brought in Shanahan, and just blindly letting that coach do whatever he wants as the team continues to lose games. Mike's conclusion is that, absent tangible 2012 results, Shanahan's seat needs to warm up.
New York Giants
Osi Umenyiora's big game against Dallas in the division-clincher came with a price, Ralph Vacchiano writes, and the ankle injury that kept him out of the previous four games could cost him some practice time this week. No way he misses the playoff game Sunday against the Falcons, though. Question is how much the injury will affect him/allow him to play.
Mike Mazzeo did a post on ESPNNewYork.com looking at Victor Cruz's six most sizzling touchdown catches of the year, and asking you to pick your favorite. I'm going with the 99-yarder against the Jets, but there are some pretty strong candidates, and you can watch the highlight of each one by clicking through on Mike's post.
Philadelphia Eagles
The next big coaching decision, now that Eagles owner Jeff Lurie has announced that Andy Reid is coming back, is what to do about defensive coordinator Juan Castillo. There seems to be agreement that he can't come back in the same role, but no one seems to know what to do with him instead. Tough to just make him the scapegoat when Reid himself gets a pass for a rotten year.
Lurie also said he'd welcome back wide receiver DeSean Jackson "if the right terms develop." As our man Andrew Brandt has written recently, the application of the franchise player designation is supposed to indicate an "intent to sign," not just freeze a guy in place for a year because a team can, and the NFLPA has its eye on these situations. So if the Eagles are serious about keeping Jackson around long term, franchising him could make sense. If all they want to do is keep him away from the Redskins, things could get dicey.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer writes that this offseason will be the first time since he became head coach of the Cowboys that Jason Garrett has some time to prepare and implement his own program. He got the job midseason in 2010, and last year's offseason didn't happen because of the lockout. Patience, people. Garrett is a young coach with room and opportunity to grow and improve.
After Bill Polian got fired in Indianapolis, some people started asking if Jerry Jones would ever consider hiring a GM to replace ... well, himself. Jones made it clear that such an idea is not even remotely under consideration and never will be. And hey, how many other GMs have three Super Bowl titles on their résumé?
Washington Redskins
Chris Cooley says he has no doubt he'll be back in Washington next year. When I talked to Shanahan last week, he mentioned the Cooley injury as a particularly crushing one, since he liked having both Cooley and Fred Davis in the game at the same time because it allowed his offense to "set the perimeter." With two years left on his contract, my sense is that Cooley is right to have no doubt about a return.
Mike Wise writes that there's a difference between stepping back and letting your coach coach the way he wants to, as Dan Snyder promised he would when he brought in Shanahan, and just blindly letting that coach do whatever he wants as the team continues to lose games. Mike's conclusion is that, absent tangible 2012 results, Shanahan's seat needs to warm up.
Shanahan mailbag: Offense a family affair
January, 3, 2012
Jan 3
9:51
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
ASHBURN, Va. -- One of the most common criticisms of Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan is that he's a slave to his own offensive "system," and more interested in finding players who fit that system than in finding the best possible players and constructing a system around them. Shanahan has heard this criticism, and when I brought it up in my interview with him last week, this is what he had to say about it:
"It's kind of funny, because when I had Steve Young and we had to run a West Coast offense [in San Francisco], and Steve was so much different than Joe Montana, you know, it was different. And then [John] Elway -- Elway didn't want to run the five-step drop. We were in a shotgun formation all the time. He hated the West Coast offense of three- and five-step drops, so with John it was a seven-step drop and a lot of shotgun. And then we wind up getting a guy like Jake Plummer, and of course Jake... totally different. He had to be outside the pocket, all those quarterback keeps, boots, none of the drop-back, none of the seven-step drop. He was good on the run, good on the play action, but the drop-back wasn't his game.
"So what you've always got to do is, whatever quarterback you have, you adjust your system to your players. The one thing I think I have been categorized with is the zone blocking scheme. People say, 'Oh, he loves the zone blocking scheme.' So I think I've been stereotyped there, relative to the running game. But in the passing game, if people look at what we've done in different places, they're gong to say, 'Oh, he adjusts the passing game to the quarterback.' Like with Rex [Grossman]. You can't run quarterback keeps with Rex, but you can do it with John [Beck]. So whatever somebody can do, you try to adjust accordingly."
Omar from Washington, D.C., sent in several questions for Shanahan last week, and one of the ones I used was about his relationship with his son, Kyle, who is his offensive coordinator. Omar wanted to know what Mike Shanahan thought of the criticism Kyle receives and how he feels his son has progressed in the role.
Mike Shanahan: "The important thing is that your coordinator knows what he's doing. Until you see a coordinator in meetings, or how he runs the meeting ... you're not really sure until you see him under the gun -- running game, passing game, installation of the run, installation of the pass, how he shows film, how he relates to the team. So that's where it's been very ... I shouldn't say a surprise, but it's natural for him, and it's easy to see that he understands the game. He can handle himself in any meeting, and until you see that as a coach, you just don't know, especially when it's your son. But he was very natural at that right away, so I became very comfortable with him, because I knew he knew what he was doing."
I told Shanahan that I often get questions from fans about whether Kyle will be fired, and that I generally respond to them by pointing out that Kyle's father is his boss and that a firing is therefore unlikely. He seemed to agree with my assessment, but here's what he had to say about the criticisms and the coaching staff in general:
MS: "I think what I've always been able to do is look at things very objectively in terms of where we're at. So when somebody says, 'Hey, your offense sucks,' I go, 'Hey, wait a minute. You look at my body of work over the last 27 years, we're No. 1.' And we’re going to continue to be up there. And I also know what it takes to have a good offense, in terms of coaches and personnel, and we're gong to get there, on both sides of it. And if I have a bad coach, I'm going to make changes, and if I don’t have the right personnel, I'm going to make changes. And we're going to get that thing fixed the right way."
Wendell Washington from Landover, Md., wanted me to ask the elder Shanahan about Redskins owner Dan Snyder -- specifically, whether Snyder has bought into Shanahan's belief that the way to build a long-term winner is through the draft rather than free agency and is sticking to his promise to let Shanahan do it his way.
MS: "Oh yeah, he's been very good. He's been very good letting me do it the way you want to do it. Been very supportive. I said to him, 'If you don’t count on me being here five years, you shouldn't sign me. Because this isn't going to happen overnight. We've got a lot of work to do. This is an older football team.' But he's been good."
Later on, though, I asked what impact the fact of his 11-21 record in his first two seasons as Redskins coach has on his faith that he's building the team the right way.
MS: "You just know that you've got two more years to get the job done, because they never let you go through the five years. You get it done in four years or you're gone. But that's what I love about this profession -- the pressure of it, what goes with it. The thing that I enjoy is that I've got an owner that's going to give me a chance to be successful. And if I can't get it done in four years, even though I've got a five-year contract, then I shouldn't be here."
We're going to do this every day until I run out of stuff. Thanks again for your help with the interview, and I hope you're enjoying what we've got out of it so far.
"It's kind of funny, because when I had Steve Young and we had to run a West Coast offense [in San Francisco], and Steve was so much different than Joe Montana, you know, it was different. And then [John] Elway -- Elway didn't want to run the five-step drop. We were in a shotgun formation all the time. He hated the West Coast offense of three- and five-step drops, so with John it was a seven-step drop and a lot of shotgun. And then we wind up getting a guy like Jake Plummer, and of course Jake... totally different. He had to be outside the pocket, all those quarterback keeps, boots, none of the drop-back, none of the seven-step drop. He was good on the run, good on the play action, but the drop-back wasn't his game.
"So what you've always got to do is, whatever quarterback you have, you adjust your system to your players. The one thing I think I have been categorized with is the zone blocking scheme. People say, 'Oh, he loves the zone blocking scheme.' So I think I've been stereotyped there, relative to the running game. But in the passing game, if people look at what we've done in different places, they're gong to say, 'Oh, he adjusts the passing game to the quarterback.' Like with Rex [Grossman]. You can't run quarterback keeps with Rex, but you can do it with John [Beck]. So whatever somebody can do, you try to adjust accordingly."
Omar from Washington, D.C., sent in several questions for Shanahan last week, and one of the ones I used was about his relationship with his son, Kyle, who is his offensive coordinator. Omar wanted to know what Mike Shanahan thought of the criticism Kyle receives and how he feels his son has progressed in the role.
Mike Shanahan: "The important thing is that your coordinator knows what he's doing. Until you see a coordinator in meetings, or how he runs the meeting ... you're not really sure until you see him under the gun -- running game, passing game, installation of the run, installation of the pass, how he shows film, how he relates to the team. So that's where it's been very ... I shouldn't say a surprise, but it's natural for him, and it's easy to see that he understands the game. He can handle himself in any meeting, and until you see that as a coach, you just don't know, especially when it's your son. But he was very natural at that right away, so I became very comfortable with him, because I knew he knew what he was doing."
I told Shanahan that I often get questions from fans about whether Kyle will be fired, and that I generally respond to them by pointing out that Kyle's father is his boss and that a firing is therefore unlikely. He seemed to agree with my assessment, but here's what he had to say about the criticisms and the coaching staff in general:
MS: "I think what I've always been able to do is look at things very objectively in terms of where we're at. So when somebody says, 'Hey, your offense sucks,' I go, 'Hey, wait a minute. You look at my body of work over the last 27 years, we're No. 1.' And we’re going to continue to be up there. And I also know what it takes to have a good offense, in terms of coaches and personnel, and we're gong to get there, on both sides of it. And if I have a bad coach, I'm going to make changes, and if I don’t have the right personnel, I'm going to make changes. And we're going to get that thing fixed the right way."
Wendell Washington from Landover, Md., wanted me to ask the elder Shanahan about Redskins owner Dan Snyder -- specifically, whether Snyder has bought into Shanahan's belief that the way to build a long-term winner is through the draft rather than free agency and is sticking to his promise to let Shanahan do it his way.
MS: "Oh yeah, he's been very good. He's been very good letting me do it the way you want to do it. Been very supportive. I said to him, 'If you don’t count on me being here five years, you shouldn't sign me. Because this isn't going to happen overnight. We've got a lot of work to do. This is an older football team.' But he's been good."
Later on, though, I asked what impact the fact of his 11-21 record in his first two seasons as Redskins coach has on his faith that he's building the team the right way.
MS: "You just know that you've got two more years to get the job done, because they never let you go through the five years. You get it done in four years or you're gone. But that's what I love about this profession -- the pressure of it, what goes with it. The thing that I enjoy is that I've got an owner that's going to give me a chance to be successful. And if I can't get it done in four years, even though I've got a five-year contract, then I shouldn't be here."
We're going to do this every day until I run out of stuff. Thanks again for your help with the interview, and I hope you're enjoying what we've got out of it so far.
Breakfast links: Emmitt rips Cowboys
December, 30, 2011
12/30/11
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Oh baby. Just two more days until... well, if you don't know, what are you doing here? Mooching links? That works. Plenty for everyone.
New York Giants
Even all these years later, the Giants carry the legacy of Lawrence Taylor and the urgency to play like crazed dogs. For that reason, Ian O'Connor writes, it's up to Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul to set the tone and win the must-win game against the Cowboys this Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.
Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell believes the Giants' defense played pretty well in the 37-34 victory over the Cowboys in Week 14 in Dallas, and that the problem was just a couple of specific breakdowns in the secondary. As you'd expect, Fewell and the Giants' defense believe they have those things corrected.
Dallas Cowboys
Emmitt Smith, one of the greatest and toughest players in the history of the NFL, wonders whether the Cowboys have the mental toughness they need to be champions. Tony Romo says they do. In other news, sometimes I miss covering baseball, where there's a game every night and people have less time to jabber about senseless garbage.
As for Romo, his bruised right hand remains an issue, as he's been practicing and throwing but has yet to take a snap from center since banging his hand on Jason Babin's helmet last Saturday. My feeling on this is that Romo will undoubtedly play Sunday, but that we won't know until we see him try to throw how much the hand injury really is affecting him.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff McLane takes a look at the 12 pending free agents the Eagles have and the decisions that will, won't or should be made on each of them. Jeff thinks DeSean Jackson, Antonio Dixon and Derek Landri should be back, and that Trevor Laws and Owen Schmitt should not. You take a look and let me know what you think.
Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo thinks Eagles safety Nate Allen will be a Pro Bowler some day. The first thing everyone who reads this is thinking is: "Will Castillo be his coach when that happens?"
Washington Redskins
Mike Shanahan says he has no doubt he'll be back next season as coach of the Redskins, quickly adding that he hopes owner Dan Snyder feels the same way. Shanahan is two years deep into a five-year contract and certain to get a chance to see it through. As you already know, I will be talking with Shanahan today. I appreciate all of the questions I have received from you guys, and will endeavor to ask as many of them as I can.
One thing that's working the way Shanahan hopes and expects it to is the running game, where there seems to be a different star every week and rookie Evan Royster was the star this week, as it seems we can add him to the list of very good running backs on whom the Redskins plan to rely in 2012.
New York Giants
Even all these years later, the Giants carry the legacy of Lawrence Taylor and the urgency to play like crazed dogs. For that reason, Ian O'Connor writes, it's up to Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul to set the tone and win the must-win game against the Cowboys this Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.
Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell believes the Giants' defense played pretty well in the 37-34 victory over the Cowboys in Week 14 in Dallas, and that the problem was just a couple of specific breakdowns in the secondary. As you'd expect, Fewell and the Giants' defense believe they have those things corrected.
Dallas Cowboys
Emmitt Smith, one of the greatest and toughest players in the history of the NFL, wonders whether the Cowboys have the mental toughness they need to be champions. Tony Romo says they do. In other news, sometimes I miss covering baseball, where there's a game every night and people have less time to jabber about senseless garbage.
As for Romo, his bruised right hand remains an issue, as he's been practicing and throwing but has yet to take a snap from center since banging his hand on Jason Babin's helmet last Saturday. My feeling on this is that Romo will undoubtedly play Sunday, but that we won't know until we see him try to throw how much the hand injury really is affecting him.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff McLane takes a look at the 12 pending free agents the Eagles have and the decisions that will, won't or should be made on each of them. Jeff thinks DeSean Jackson, Antonio Dixon and Derek Landri should be back, and that Trevor Laws and Owen Schmitt should not. You take a look and let me know what you think.
Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo thinks Eagles safety Nate Allen will be a Pro Bowler some day. The first thing everyone who reads this is thinking is: "Will Castillo be his coach when that happens?"
Washington Redskins
Mike Shanahan says he has no doubt he'll be back next season as coach of the Redskins, quickly adding that he hopes owner Dan Snyder feels the same way. Shanahan is two years deep into a five-year contract and certain to get a chance to see it through. As you already know, I will be talking with Shanahan today. I appreciate all of the questions I have received from you guys, and will endeavor to ask as many of them as I can.
One thing that's working the way Shanahan hopes and expects it to is the running game, where there seems to be a different star every week and rookie Evan Royster was the star this week, as it seems we can add him to the list of very good running backs on whom the Redskins plan to rely in 2012.
Mike Shanahan expected it to be better
December, 26, 2011
12/26/11
7:04
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
"A lot longer than I first anticipated," Shanahan said in the wake of the 33-26 home loss to the lowly Minnesota Vikings that dropped the Redskins to 5-10 heading into Sunday's season finale against the Eagles in Philadelphia. "We had less depth than I thought. We were a little bit older at a few different positions. I thought we might keep those players a little longer than we did."
This is likely proof that things look different from the outside than they do on the inside. Personally, I thought the reason Shanahan was hired to coach the Redskins was because they needed a drastic overhaul and owner Dan Snyder decided it was worth giving Shanahan a five-year deal and control of personnel decisions in order to bring one about. Shanahan took a shot in 2010, trading for Donovan McNabb to play quarterback and trying to make an instant contender out of what he was given. But that didn't work, and it seemed as though Shanahan operated last offseason with the long view in mind, signing players in their 20s who were already established but could grow as the team grew around them.
The process must continue this offseason, and I believe as most people who read this blog and people around the league believe that it needs to start at quarterback. But we'll keep an eye on what Shanahan's doing and see how quickly he thinks he can turn this thing around as he heads into the third year of his five-year deal.
Are all four NFC East coaches in trouble?
December, 10, 2011
12/10/11
11:26
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Ashley Fox's latest column is on the NFC East, and if you're a fan of the division, you may want to pour yourself something stiff before you read it. We all know this hasn't been the greatest season for this division, and it could be the first non-strike season ever in which no NFC East team wins at least 10 games. But Ashley kind of unloads on the division's four coaches and says: "Although unlikely, it is not out of the realm of possibility that each will lose his job at season's end."
Coughlin Now, I've kind of been under the impression that all four will be back next year. I think the hottest seat is that of the New York Giants' Tom Coughlin -- not because he hasn't done a good job but because historical circumstances -- i.e., his poor second-half record since becoming Giants coach and a third straight season without a playoff appearance -- could line up against him. But if the Giants win Sunday night in Dallas, they take control of the division race again, so it's premature to think Coughlin's team will even put him in position to lose his job. Ashley writes that Coughlin "has done the most with the least" this year, and I agree. I think this Giants team has either met or exceeded reasonable expectations.
Shanahan I also think Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is about as safe as any coach in the league, since he was signed two years ago to a five-year contract and is clearly working on a rebuilding project while owner Dan Snyder honors his pledge to leave him alone to work. Ashley hits Shanahan for his failure to so far find a quarterback, writing that "He has misjudged four quarterbacks now: Jason Campbell, Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman and John Beck," and "The fact that Shanahan went into this season with Grossman and Beck, rather than trying to sign another quarterback, looked asinine in August. That he has shuttled between the two and the Redskins have lost six of their last seven games is no surprise."
I would say it's important to watch what Shanahan does at quarterback this coming offseason, and if he does something like bring back Grossman because he knows he can run "his system," then the criticism becomes warranted. But he didn't like what was available at quarterback last offseason and decided to focus on rebuilding the defense -- which he's done with some success. I believe Shanahan has one more year before his results in Washington can be fairly examined and judged.
Garrett The Dallas Cowboys' Jason Garrett is also, I believe, totally safe, since owner Jerry Jones loves him and wants him to become a great coach. But this was a bad week for Garrett, who's getting hammered everywhere for his mismanagement of the clock at the end of the fourth quarter of last Sunday's Arizona loss. Ashley believes Garrett's timeout gaffes happened because "Garrett didn't trust his team, and he didn't trust himself. His team lost the game in overtime and lost a chance at wrapping up a weak division title this weekend." But while that last part is clearly true, in the big picture Garrett has done a fine job with the Cowboys. Should he continue to bungle in-game situations over and over again, this becomes something about which to worry. But it's too soon to judge Garrett as a head coach, and his owner knows that.
ReidThen there's the Philadelphia Eagles' Andy Reid, a great NFL coach who's done a horrible job with this year's team. Ashley hits him for his kooky coaching-staff shuffle, letting locker room leaders like Quintin Mikell depart via free agency and his mishandling of the DeSean Jackson contract mess. All of it's warranted. If Reid were judged on this year alone, he wouldn't stand a chance. The only thing that saves him is his prior record of consistently fielding division champs and playoff contenders. Eagles management seems to want to keep Reid, barring something totally humiliating happening over the final four games. But his benefit of the doubt is dwindling, especially with Eagles fans already unsatisfied with a string of playoff appearances that hasn't yielded a Super Bowl title.
The upshot of all of this, of course, is that this is a very down year in the NFC East, and it won't rank among the best years on any of these coaches' resumes. (Except Garrett's, since it's his first.) The scramble is on, apparently, between the Giants and Cowboys, to see which will be the division's lone playoff team and whether that team can make any noise in the playoffs come January.
I would say it's important to watch what Shanahan does at quarterback this coming offseason, and if he does something like bring back Grossman because he knows he can run "his system," then the criticism becomes warranted. But he didn't like what was available at quarterback last offseason and decided to focus on rebuilding the defense -- which he's done with some success. I believe Shanahan has one more year before his results in Washington can be fairly examined and judged.
The upshot of all of this, of course, is that this is a very down year in the NFC East, and it won't rank among the best years on any of these coaches' resumes. (Except Garrett's, since it's his first.) The scramble is on, apparently, between the Giants and Cowboys, to see which will be the division's lone playoff team and whether that team can make any noise in the playoffs come January.
How hot are NFC East coaches' seats?
November, 29, 2011
11/29/11
11:31
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Jack Del Rio was fired Tuesday as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, which means it's that time of year -- the time when coaches can get fired, and when fan dissatisfaction over poor performance begins to bubble over into demands, rational or otherwise, that people lose their jobs.
With that in mind, and in a year that's shaping up as a pretty disappointing one in the NFC East, I thought I'd take some time to examine the situation in which each of our division's four coaches finds himself with five games left in this season. You should know first that I think fans are too often too quick to blame coaches for failures that aren't their fault. I don't believe in firing coaches just for the sake of doing so (i.e., the "Time for a Change" theory) and I think that if you're going to call for a coach to be fired you ought to be able to supply the name of at least one potential replacement you think could do a better job.
With that in mind, here's a look at the four NFC East head coaching situations and how they stand:
Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
The Giants have lost three straight since their 6-2 start, and with games remaining against the Packers, Jets and Cowboys (twice), the potential exists for the kind of poor second half that has become characteristic of Coughlin's Giants teams. This "second-half fade," should it happen, would be very difficult to blame on Coughlin, who has overachieved with an undermanned roster and deserves kudos for even having a winning record to this point. Still, whether it's his fault or not, it could be the third year in a row that the Giants miss the playoffs after a strong start. The Giants' owners are among the most patient in the sport. They like Coughlin, they treasure continuity and they pride themselves on not acting rashly. But if they determine that there's a pattern of Coughlin's teams not being able to finish -- and if they have someone in mind they believe could do better -- three non-playoff years in a row could prompt a change. Unless the Giants finish strong and snatch the division away from the Cowboys, Coughlin's seat could end up being the hottest in the division.
Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles
It is well established that the fans want Reid out after this inexcusable flop of a season. It's clear that the Philadelphia media have grown tired of Reid. But neither of those groups makes the decision on who coaches the team, and unless Reid has decided he's had enough of the hassle (doubtful, with two years left on his contract) or ownership decides that one disappointing year is enough to cancel out a dozen years of consistent winning, Reid will be back in 2012 to try and redeem himself for 2011. He may have to admit defeat on the Juan Castillo decision and hire a more seasoned defensive coordinator. But while they could be playing it close to the vest and there's no way to know what they're feeling in their hearts, so far we have not seen any indication that the Eagles' owner or front office has any desire to fire Reid.
Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins
There are all kinds of stats out there about Shanahan's record to this point not being any better than Jim Zorn's, and fans are upset that this looks like another losing season. But Shanahan is in the second year of a five-year contract that came with a mandate to rebuild and assemble a team that could contend year-in and year-out. That takes time, and while the work he did last offseason to improve the defense seems to have borne fruit, he needs more time to find a quarterback and fix the offense. I have little doubt that he will get it, as he got all kinds of guarantees when he came on board that owner Dan Snyder would be patient and hands-off and let him build the team his way. The performance of the 2011 team is not and never was supposed to be a referendum on Shanahan's job performance. This is a long-term project, and fans need to be patient. He's not going anywhere, nor is he about to fire his offensive coordinator, who is his son.
Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
Garrett's first full year as a head coach hasn't been without its hiccups. There's some debate as to whether he can handle head-coach responsibilities as well as offensive-coordinator responsibilities and whether the team should therefore hire someone else for the latter job. But owner Jerry Jones loves Garrett, who has the team in first place and poised for a division championship, and he seems to like the idea of him doing both jobs. Jones was more patient with Wade Phillips than many wanted or expected him to be. He will be extremely patient with Garrett, since he badly wants Garrett to turn out to be a great Cowboys coach. Even if Dallas falters and the division title slips away, I wouldn't think Garrett is in any trouble at all.
With that in mind, and in a year that's shaping up as a pretty disappointing one in the NFC East, I thought I'd take some time to examine the situation in which each of our division's four coaches finds himself with five games left in this season. You should know first that I think fans are too often too quick to blame coaches for failures that aren't their fault. I don't believe in firing coaches just for the sake of doing so (i.e., the "Time for a Change" theory) and I think that if you're going to call for a coach to be fired you ought to be able to supply the name of at least one potential replacement you think could do a better job.
With that in mind, here's a look at the four NFC East head coaching situations and how they stand:
Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
The Giants have lost three straight since their 6-2 start, and with games remaining against the Packers, Jets and Cowboys (twice), the potential exists for the kind of poor second half that has become characteristic of Coughlin's Giants teams. This "second-half fade," should it happen, would be very difficult to blame on Coughlin, who has overachieved with an undermanned roster and deserves kudos for even having a winning record to this point. Still, whether it's his fault or not, it could be the third year in a row that the Giants miss the playoffs after a strong start. The Giants' owners are among the most patient in the sport. They like Coughlin, they treasure continuity and they pride themselves on not acting rashly. But if they determine that there's a pattern of Coughlin's teams not being able to finish -- and if they have someone in mind they believe could do better -- three non-playoff years in a row could prompt a change. Unless the Giants finish strong and snatch the division away from the Cowboys, Coughlin's seat could end up being the hottest in the division.
Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles
It is well established that the fans want Reid out after this inexcusable flop of a season. It's clear that the Philadelphia media have grown tired of Reid. But neither of those groups makes the decision on who coaches the team, and unless Reid has decided he's had enough of the hassle (doubtful, with two years left on his contract) or ownership decides that one disappointing year is enough to cancel out a dozen years of consistent winning, Reid will be back in 2012 to try and redeem himself for 2011. He may have to admit defeat on the Juan Castillo decision and hire a more seasoned defensive coordinator. But while they could be playing it close to the vest and there's no way to know what they're feeling in their hearts, so far we have not seen any indication that the Eagles' owner or front office has any desire to fire Reid.
Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins
There are all kinds of stats out there about Shanahan's record to this point not being any better than Jim Zorn's, and fans are upset that this looks like another losing season. But Shanahan is in the second year of a five-year contract that came with a mandate to rebuild and assemble a team that could contend year-in and year-out. That takes time, and while the work he did last offseason to improve the defense seems to have borne fruit, he needs more time to find a quarterback and fix the offense. I have little doubt that he will get it, as he got all kinds of guarantees when he came on board that owner Dan Snyder would be patient and hands-off and let him build the team his way. The performance of the 2011 team is not and never was supposed to be a referendum on Shanahan's job performance. This is a long-term project, and fans need to be patient. He's not going anywhere, nor is he about to fire his offensive coordinator, who is his son.
Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
Garrett's first full year as a head coach hasn't been without its hiccups. There's some debate as to whether he can handle head-coach responsibilities as well as offensive-coordinator responsibilities and whether the team should therefore hire someone else for the latter job. But owner Jerry Jones loves Garrett, who has the team in first place and poised for a division championship, and he seems to like the idea of him doing both jobs. Jones was more patient with Wade Phillips than many wanted or expected him to be. He will be extremely patient with Garrett, since he badly wants Garrett to turn out to be a great Cowboys coach. Even if Dallas falters and the division title slips away, I wouldn't think Garrett is in any trouble at all.
Gonna make this quick since morning's coming soon, but all week I have made it a point, at the end of these busy free-agent days, to check in and ask one simple question: So, how was your day ...
Dallas Cowboys?
"Dull." Especially compared to what the fans I'm hearing from on Twitter would like them to be doing. Look, everybody: They're going to get two safeties. They're not going to open the season with nine players on defense. But there are cap concerns, and they can't just start throwing money around the way the Eagles are. Facts are facts, and they're going to have to make sure the deal they give to their first-choice safety doesn't prevent them from getting the second one they'll also need. That first choice may well be Abram Elam, but as Sunday turned to Monday in the East, he was still unsigned. Michael Huff, a guy a lot of people wanted and thought would fit in Dallas, decided to stay in Oakland, but that could be good news, as it could signal that the safety market is settling down after the big early deals guys like Quintin Mikell and Eric Weddle got. But there are still guys available, and the Cowboys will get two. I promise. Can't tell you when, though, no matter how many times you ask. How about those Rangers, though? Really beefed up that bullpen.
New York Giants?
"Disappointing." Yes, I believe they really wanted Plaxico Burress back. No, I don't really believe he wanted to go back to them. So when he signed with the Jets on Sunday morning, I don't think it was a surprise, though I'm sure the Giants were disappointed. Their sudden interest in Burress last week, given their more pressing concerns, indicated that they're more worried about Steve Smith's knee than they expected to be. Makes you wonder if they're going to be beating the bushes for receivers now. The Osi Umenyiora situation remains a thorn in their side, as he showed up but didn't practice and is apparently complaining of a hip problem. And the Ahmad Bradshaw situation looks to be coming to a head, as The Star-Ledger reports they're bringing in Jason Snelling for a visit, either to pressure Bradshaw into signing or to sign Snelling and tell Bradshaw best of luck in his future endeavors. I'm thinking a resolution on this could come soon. Maybe even during my upcoming nap.
Philadelphia Eagles?
"Bit of a come-down, actually." It kind of had to be after the previous two days, but nothing of major consequence happened with the Eagles on Sunday. They signed veteran guard Evan Mathis to give them some coverage as they continue to negotiate with first-round draft pick Danny Watkins. They didn't get Burress either, but I have my doubts about how badly they wanted him in the first place. And there were some reports swirling Sunday night that holdout receiver DeSean Jackson might make his way into camp this week, though I've personally been given no indication of that. It's possible the Eagles could tell him he has to come to camp before they'll start negotiating, which could get him there for a few days at least before he sees and/or decides how the negotiations are going. Remember, Jackson's holdout is justified. His contract needs to be improved, and both sides agree. They just need to sit down and ... you know ... do it. On the whole, though, Sunday was a yawner by recent Eagles standards, which have been pretty high.
Washington Redskins?
"Productive." I think I've used this one for the Redskins before, and it works. Washington continues to make smart, big-picture, non-flashy moves that look nothing like the free-agent plans under which they used to operate during the Dan Snyder era. They needed a right tackle, and they brought back Jammal Brown, the one they had last year. They needed a veteran running back, and they managed to get one, in Tim Hightower, who's only 25 and hasn't been ridden very hard. They're plugging away, putting things together and building for the future. It could make for a frustrating 2011 for their fans, especially in a division with three now-oriented teams. But it's the right way to go, given the number of holes they had on their roster. The payoff could be very nice down the road.
My day was long, and I'm a little road-weary, so I will bid you good night and catch you again in the morning from the practice fields in Ashburn, Va., just down the road from the hotel in which I'm writing this. On the road again to watch some football practice. Lockout feels like a million years ago.
How was your day?
Dallas Cowboys?
"Dull." Especially compared to what the fans I'm hearing from on Twitter would like them to be doing. Look, everybody: They're going to get two safeties. They're not going to open the season with nine players on defense. But there are cap concerns, and they can't just start throwing money around the way the Eagles are. Facts are facts, and they're going to have to make sure the deal they give to their first-choice safety doesn't prevent them from getting the second one they'll also need. That first choice may well be Abram Elam, but as Sunday turned to Monday in the East, he was still unsigned. Michael Huff, a guy a lot of people wanted and thought would fit in Dallas, decided to stay in Oakland, but that could be good news, as it could signal that the safety market is settling down after the big early deals guys like Quintin Mikell and Eric Weddle got. But there are still guys available, and the Cowboys will get two. I promise. Can't tell you when, though, no matter how many times you ask. How about those Rangers, though? Really beefed up that bullpen.
New York Giants?
"Disappointing." Yes, I believe they really wanted Plaxico Burress back. No, I don't really believe he wanted to go back to them. So when he signed with the Jets on Sunday morning, I don't think it was a surprise, though I'm sure the Giants were disappointed. Their sudden interest in Burress last week, given their more pressing concerns, indicated that they're more worried about Steve Smith's knee than they expected to be. Makes you wonder if they're going to be beating the bushes for receivers now. The Osi Umenyiora situation remains a thorn in their side, as he showed up but didn't practice and is apparently complaining of a hip problem. And the Ahmad Bradshaw situation looks to be coming to a head, as The Star-Ledger reports they're bringing in Jason Snelling for a visit, either to pressure Bradshaw into signing or to sign Snelling and tell Bradshaw best of luck in his future endeavors. I'm thinking a resolution on this could come soon. Maybe even during my upcoming nap.
Philadelphia Eagles?
"Bit of a come-down, actually." It kind of had to be after the previous two days, but nothing of major consequence happened with the Eagles on Sunday. They signed veteran guard Evan Mathis to give them some coverage as they continue to negotiate with first-round draft pick Danny Watkins. They didn't get Burress either, but I have my doubts about how badly they wanted him in the first place. And there were some reports swirling Sunday night that holdout receiver DeSean Jackson might make his way into camp this week, though I've personally been given no indication of that. It's possible the Eagles could tell him he has to come to camp before they'll start negotiating, which could get him there for a few days at least before he sees and/or decides how the negotiations are going. Remember, Jackson's holdout is justified. His contract needs to be improved, and both sides agree. They just need to sit down and ... you know ... do it. On the whole, though, Sunday was a yawner by recent Eagles standards, which have been pretty high.
Washington Redskins?
"Productive." I think I've used this one for the Redskins before, and it works. Washington continues to make smart, big-picture, non-flashy moves that look nothing like the free-agent plans under which they used to operate during the Dan Snyder era. They needed a right tackle, and they brought back Jammal Brown, the one they had last year. They needed a veteran running back, and they managed to get one, in Tim Hightower, who's only 25 and hasn't been ridden very hard. They're plugging away, putting things together and building for the future. It could make for a frustrating 2011 for their fans, especially in a division with three now-oriented teams. But it's the right way to go, given the number of holes they had on their roster. The payoff could be very nice down the road.
My day was long, and I'm a little road-weary, so I will bid you good night and catch you again in the morning from the practice fields in Ashburn, Va., just down the road from the hotel in which I'm writing this. On the road again to watch some football practice. Lockout feels like a million years ago.
How was your day?
Took the chat on location today but it still went off brilliantly, as it always does. If you missed it ... well, I'm not even sure why I'm still trying to help you. But here are some of the highlights anyway.
Willow from Southside is, like a lot of Cowboys fans, worried about this cap number we're hearing and wondering who the Cowboys might cut in order to get under the cap.
Dan Graziano: Yes, Willow. They are going to have to make some cuts, and it'll be interesting to see who they drop. Marion Barber looks like a sure thing to be cut, and I'd imagine they're dropping Leonard Davis and some others. Terrence Newman may not be safe. Roy Williams' cap number could keep them from cutting him. Bradie James would be a cut that could save them money but might hurt the 2011 team too much.
Will Kelland from New York City wondered why Osi Umenyiora isn't getting the same amount of attention Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins are getting today as a disgruntled plaintiff in the Brady antitrust case.
DG: Based on what's come out today, it sounds as if Osi isn't making the same kind of demands as those guys are. Plus, he wasn't franchised, as they were. So, different scenarios.
John from Philly wondered where Nnamdi Asomugha gets off asking for $18 million a year. Seems John doesn't think he's worth that or will get it.
DG: Well, Revis is making $16.25/year in the first two years of his deal, and I'm sure Nnamdi, being a free agent, is looking for more. I don't think he's better than Revis, but he is a free agent and that's how these things work. He's right to be starting in that ballpark, and I wouldn't be shocked if he gets it. Remember, the new rules will require teams to spend at least a certain percentage of the cap.
Brendan from DC, mindful of Dan Snyder's reckless free-agent history, says he'd rather see the Redskins sit out free agency and continue to build through the draft. Wants them to "do nothing" once the league year opens.
DG: They have too many holes to do nothing. And the new rules will require a certain level of spending. So I think you need to trust Shanahan and Allen to spend wisely and Snyder to stay out of it until we see that it doesn't work.
Lots more in the link, so go read it. You won't be disappointed. I promise. We do it every Tuesday at noon ET and would love to see you there.
Willow from Southside is, like a lot of Cowboys fans, worried about this cap number we're hearing and wondering who the Cowboys might cut in order to get under the cap.
Dan Graziano: Yes, Willow. They are going to have to make some cuts, and it'll be interesting to see who they drop. Marion Barber looks like a sure thing to be cut, and I'd imagine they're dropping Leonard Davis and some others. Terrence Newman may not be safe. Roy Williams' cap number could keep them from cutting him. Bradie James would be a cut that could save them money but might hurt the 2011 team too much.
Will Kelland from New York City wondered why Osi Umenyiora isn't getting the same amount of attention Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins are getting today as a disgruntled plaintiff in the Brady antitrust case.
DG: Based on what's come out today, it sounds as if Osi isn't making the same kind of demands as those guys are. Plus, he wasn't franchised, as they were. So, different scenarios.
John from Philly wondered where Nnamdi Asomugha gets off asking for $18 million a year. Seems John doesn't think he's worth that or will get it.
DG: Well, Revis is making $16.25/year in the first two years of his deal, and I'm sure Nnamdi, being a free agent, is looking for more. I don't think he's better than Revis, but he is a free agent and that's how these things work. He's right to be starting in that ballpark, and I wouldn't be shocked if he gets it. Remember, the new rules will require teams to spend at least a certain percentage of the cap.
Brendan from DC, mindful of Dan Snyder's reckless free-agent history, says he'd rather see the Redskins sit out free agency and continue to build through the draft. Wants them to "do nothing" once the league year opens.
DG: They have too many holes to do nothing. And the new rules will require a certain level of spending. So I think you need to trust Shanahan and Allen to spend wisely and Snyder to stay out of it until we see that it doesn't work.
Lots more in the link, so go read it. You won't be disappointed. I promise. We do it every Tuesday at noon ET and would love to see you there.
Yeah, shameless self-promotion time. I'll be on "First Take" on ESPN2 each of the next two mornings, debating Skip Bayless on First and Ten. Show airs from 10 am to noon ET on Monday and Tuesday, and I have a stellar suit-and-tie combo picked out for today so none of you fashion critics who like to rip my wardrobe on the video mailbags can say anything. You'll just have to sit there and admire.
Meantime, though, you know I'm not going to forget the links.
Dallas Cowboys
Yeah, Tony Romo made it interesting, but he lost to Jack Wagner on the final hole of the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in Lake Tahoe. I love doing Romo golf updates because they make everybody crazy. Non-Cowboys fans don't like Romo, and Cowboys fans don't like that he spends so much time on golf. And you know me. I like to needle as many people as I can.
Expect a lot of this stuff this week: Tom Orsborn takes a look at what the Cowboys will need to do once the lockout ends and free agency begins. That's about to happen, folks, in case you haven't been following Adam and Mort.
New York Giants
Can you imagine if Osi Umenyiora really held up the whole collective bargaining agreement negotiation because he's unhappy with his contract with the Giants? Who'd want him on their team? Who'd want to play with him. He'd be the most hated man in the NFL until the day he retired. I can see the point, technically, that he signed on to a lawsuit because of this one personal issue. But can you imagine if the whole deal was done but couldn't get settled because Osi's mad at Jerry Reese? I mean, can you imagine???
Serena Sanderson is expressing a point of view popular among Giants fans -- that the offensive line is, in fact, very old, but that it doesn't matter. OK then. If you guys say so.
Philadelphia Eagles
For months we've heard the Eagles will be aggressive in free agency once it starts. Jonathan Tamari says to hold on a minute there, and explains that going crazy on the free-agent market isn't really the way the Eagles do things. He also points out that: "Any Eagles spending in the next few weeks will be done with the knowledge that Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson are each out of contract after the season, and LeSean McCoy's deal expires after 2012." And that is all true. But I will say this, because another thing I really like to do is play devil's advocate: This is the Eagles' go-for-it season. They may well decide to make 2011 moves that play a little bit fast and loose with future seasons, if they really believe they're close enough that one or two big additions will put them over the top. Not saying they will, just that they could -- and that all the noise they've made about their big, aggressive plans might reflect that. One thing we all have in common is we can't wait to find out.
You want me to get you excited, Eagles fans? Click on this link, and when you're done giggling, come on back. Yeah, that's right. Those are pictures of an NFL training camp being set up.
Washington Redskins
Truth here, from Jason Reid, about Dan Snyder and the Redskins' shady boasts about their season-ticket waiting list. I understand supply and demand, and why you'd want to maintain the illusion of scare supply to maintain high demand. I get it. But misleading your customers is bad, especially when you're dealing with some of the most loyal customers in your business. At this point, nobody's fooling anybody anymore.
Mike Jones did a chat over the weekend at The Washington Post, and there's a good bit of information in it. Scroll down to where he's asked who are the first three outside free-agent signings the Skins will make, and he seems to predict Cullen Jenkins, Aubrayo Franklin and Marshal Yanda. Gotta say, that would be a pretty impressive haul. I'm sticking with my prediction that Yanda stays in Baltimore, but if they can get Jenkins and Franklin for the D-line? That defense starts to look a lot better.
Meantime, though, you know I'm not going to forget the links.
Dallas Cowboys
Yeah, Tony Romo made it interesting, but he lost to Jack Wagner on the final hole of the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in Lake Tahoe. I love doing Romo golf updates because they make everybody crazy. Non-Cowboys fans don't like Romo, and Cowboys fans don't like that he spends so much time on golf. And you know me. I like to needle as many people as I can.
Expect a lot of this stuff this week: Tom Orsborn takes a look at what the Cowboys will need to do once the lockout ends and free agency begins. That's about to happen, folks, in case you haven't been following Adam and Mort.
New York Giants
Can you imagine if Osi Umenyiora really held up the whole collective bargaining agreement negotiation because he's unhappy with his contract with the Giants? Who'd want him on their team? Who'd want to play with him. He'd be the most hated man in the NFL until the day he retired. I can see the point, technically, that he signed on to a lawsuit because of this one personal issue. But can you imagine if the whole deal was done but couldn't get settled because Osi's mad at Jerry Reese? I mean, can you imagine???
Serena Sanderson is expressing a point of view popular among Giants fans -- that the offensive line is, in fact, very old, but that it doesn't matter. OK then. If you guys say so.
Philadelphia Eagles
For months we've heard the Eagles will be aggressive in free agency once it starts. Jonathan Tamari says to hold on a minute there, and explains that going crazy on the free-agent market isn't really the way the Eagles do things. He also points out that: "Any Eagles spending in the next few weeks will be done with the knowledge that Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson are each out of contract after the season, and LeSean McCoy's deal expires after 2012." And that is all true. But I will say this, because another thing I really like to do is play devil's advocate: This is the Eagles' go-for-it season. They may well decide to make 2011 moves that play a little bit fast and loose with future seasons, if they really believe they're close enough that one or two big additions will put them over the top. Not saying they will, just that they could -- and that all the noise they've made about their big, aggressive plans might reflect that. One thing we all have in common is we can't wait to find out.
You want me to get you excited, Eagles fans? Click on this link, and when you're done giggling, come on back. Yeah, that's right. Those are pictures of an NFL training camp being set up.
Washington Redskins
Truth here, from Jason Reid, about Dan Snyder and the Redskins' shady boasts about their season-ticket waiting list. I understand supply and demand, and why you'd want to maintain the illusion of scare supply to maintain high demand. I get it. But misleading your customers is bad, especially when you're dealing with some of the most loyal customers in your business. At this point, nobody's fooling anybody anymore.
Mike Jones did a chat over the weekend at The Washington Post, and there's a good bit of information in it. Scroll down to where he's asked who are the first three outside free-agent signings the Skins will make, and he seems to predict Cullen Jenkins, Aubrayo Franklin and Marshal Yanda. Gotta say, that would be a pretty impressive haul. I'm sticking with my prediction that Yanda stays in Baltimore, but if they can get Jenkins and Franklin for the D-line? That defense starts to look a lot better.
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.
