News

Cardinals’ Michael Floyd finally attends teammate Larry Fitzgerald’s summer camp

stevenlourie Cardinals, News

When the Cardinals used the 13th overall selection on Michael Floyd in the 2012 NFL Draft, they did it in an attempt to take away some of the bracket coverage from Larry Fitzgerald and to potentially recreate what they had a few years ago with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. It was also done possibly at Larry Fitzgerald’s urging as Fitz reportedly asked the Cardinals to take Floyd.

I’m not saying for sure that’s why they took him, but it wouldn’t be the first time the Cardinals made a decision heavily influenced by Larry Fitzgerald. Needing him to sign a long term extension, which he eventually did (8 years, 120 million), the Cardinals gave up a king’s ransom for Kevin Kolb, a friend of Fitzgerald’s who Fitzgerald asked the team to acquire. The Cardinals gave up a 2nd round pick, a starting cornerback in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and gave Kolb a 5 year, 63 million dollar deal.

Larry Fitzgerald holds a summer camp every offseason and it’s often credited with breakout seasons for receivers around the league. Fitzgerald is currently holding the camp right now and Floyd was absent from the first 3 workouts, something Fitzgerald called him out for on Twitter. Floyd answered the call and was present at the workout on Tuesday.

Floyd is expected to start Training Camp as low as 4th on the depth chart, but it’s more likely that the Cardinals are just making him earn a starting job. He’s much more talented than Andre Roberts and Early Doucet and the Cardinals didn’t draft him to sit him on the bench. Expect Doucet and Roberts to fight for snaps behind Fitzgerald and Floyd. All of the sudden, that’s a very good receiving corps. It’s still unclear if the Cardinals have a quarterback to take advantage of it yet, so stay away from any Cardinal receiver not named Larry Fitzgerald in fantasy drafts.

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Titans’ Derrick Morgan no longer wearing a knee brace

stevenlourie News, Titans

Derrick Morgan was the 16th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and had high expectations after 55 tackles, 18.5 for loss, and 12.5 sacks in his final year at Georgia Tech. However, with just 5 career sacks in 2 years, Morgan is now better known as the guy who was selected one pick after Jason Pierre Paul. Morgan missed most of his rookie season with a torn ACL and managed just 2 sacks in 4 games and then struggled mightily in 2011, managing just 3 sacks, with 6 quarterback hits and 19 quarterback pressures. On 378 pass rush snaps, that’s a 7.4% rate, a big part of the reason why only 4 defensive ends graded out worse than him on ProFootballFocus in 2011.

A huge part of the reason why he struggled in 2011 was that he had not fully recovered from his torn ACL. He needed two procedures on that knee and wore a knee brace all last season. Now, heading into his 3rd year in the league, he has shed his knee brace and could be poised for a breakout season. At the same time, if he struggles again, he could be gone after the year. He’ll no longer have an excuse and the coaching staff that drafted him is gone so the team will have no loyalty to him. A strong year from Derrick Morgan, as well as the addition of Kamerion Wimbley, will have big positive effect for a Tennessee team that managed 28 sacks last year, 3rd worst in the NFL.

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Colt McCoy makes sense for Saints?

stevenlourie News, Saints

As we get closer to the season, Colt McCoy is one of the biggest names, if not the biggest name, who is very available via trade. McCoy is the incumbent starter in Cleveland, but struggled en route to a 4-12 record last year, prompting the Browns to use a 1st round pick on Brandon Weeden, a soon to be 29 year old quarterback. Given Weeden’s age, they want him out there week 1 and because of McCoy’s popularity in the locker room, they want him gone so as not to create any distractions for Weeden. They are shopping him on the cheap.

The Eagles and Packers have been thrown around as possibilities as they are good teams in need of backup quarterbacks, but so far no deal has been reached. Interest will pick up in Training Camp as teams are given a chance to more accurately assess their quarterback situation. One team that makes some sense, according to ESPN Cleveland, is the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have Chase Daniel as their primary backup behind starter Drew Brees right now. The 2009 undrafted free agent has thrown all of 8 passes in the NFL and currently has a fractured throwing thumb.

McCoy would serve as a more proven backup and insurance in case Brees holds out into the season, which he is not expected to do. McCoy would also fit because the Saints have had no problem with shorter quarterbacks before. The 6-1 McCoy would fit in perfectly with the 6 foot tall Drew Brees and the 6 foot tall Chase Daniel. Also, as Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland points out, playing indoors wouldn’t “tax his questionable arm strength.” Wherever he goes, McCoy is certainly a good value in a trade. He’s not starting caliber, but he’s at least an above average backup. He’s experienced, he’s still only 26 in September, and he’s owed just over a million combined over the next 2 seasons. You can do a lot worse things with a 7th round pick.

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Colts’ Donald Brown will get shot to be lead back

stevenlourie Colts, News

Donald Brown was a 1st round pick in 2009, but has not lived up to the billing so far, rushing for just 1423 yards and 10 scores on 341 carries in 3 seasons. It’s not like he’s never gotten a shot as former starter Joseph Addai was always injured, but he’s never been able to impress. With a new coaching staff in town and Joseph Addai completely out of the picture, Brown is expected to be given every opportunity to win the lead back job, but the Colts have no shortage of options behind him.

They’ve used a mid round pick in each of the last two years on running backs, taking Delone Carter and Vick Ballard. If Brown slips up, he’ll lose his job and possibly for good. The new coaching staff has no loyalty to him and could cut him after the season if someone else establishes themselves. For fantasy purposes, there’s definitely upside with Brown as he’ll be given a chance to carry the load, but also downside because he’s never shown himself to be anything more than an average back. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry last year, but 80 yards were on one run. Without that run, he averaged just 4.2 YPC last year, which, not surprisingly, is his career average.

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Packers not expected to sign a veteran running back

stevenlourie News, Packers

According to Fox Sports Wisconsin, the Packers are not expected to sign a veteran running back and have told James Starks and Alex Green so. The Packers are going with a youth movement at the position with Starks, a 2010 6th round pick, Green, a 2011 3rd round pick, and Brandon Saine, a 2011 undrafted free agent. Free agent Ryan Grant has expressed interest in returning to Green Bay, but the interest has not been mutual.

The trio has a combined 183 career carries and both Starks and Green have a history of injury problems. Starks missed his entire senior season at Buffalo with a shoulder injury in 2009, most of his rookie year with the Packers in 2010, and was on and off the injury report all last season, while Green is coming off a torn ACL. Given their lack of depth, Fox Sports Wisconsin also believes undrafted free agent Marc Tyler has a good chance of making the roster. They won’t run much, they could carry 4 running backs, and they could give three running backs significant chunks of the carries. There’s some upside in the backfield, but no sure thing fantasy football players.

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Saints, Drew Brees more than 10 million apart in guaranteed money

stevenlourie News, Saints

With 5 days left to sign a long term deal, the Saints and Drew Brees are reportedly close on maximum money, but remain more than 10 million apart in guaranteed money. According to the Associated Press, the Saints and Brees have essentially agreed to a 5 year deal, worth max of 100 million dollars, which would make him the highest paid player in the NFL and keep signed through his age 37 since in 2016. However, the two sides remain far apart on guarantees and how to structure the contract.

The AP also seconds a report that Brees will not report to Training Camp without a new deal, which would be a major hit to the team’s already fragile chemistry and morale. This deal will get done right before the deadline, if at all. If he remains unsigned, Brees will be a free agent next offseason and would be owed over 23 million in 2013 if franchised again, so Brees would appear to have all of the leverage. Needless to say, they have to get this deal done, even if it means potentially slightly overpaying Brees in his twilight years. He’s been underpaid for years and is well worth 20+ million per year currently.

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Percy Harvin won’t play for Vikings in 2013 without an extension

stevenlourie News, Vikings

Percy Harvin made a lot of noise last month when he demanded a trade from the Minnesota Vikings. With 2 years left on his deal, Harvin had a list of complaints, including his contract and his playing time. Harvin backed off a bit and is expected to report to Training Camp next month, but made it clear today that he won’t play in 2013, the final year of his rookie contract, without an extension, according to ESPN 1500 Twin Cities.

If Harvin has the type of year he is capable of, he could be worth elite wide receiver money next offseason. In his last 11 games last year, he had 69 catches for 784 yards and 6 touchdowns, good for 100 catches for 1140 yards and 9 touchdowns over 16 games and that was with a rookie quarterback and despite not even leading his team in snaps played among wide receivers (that “honor” went to Devin Aromashodu last year).

Expected to get more playing time this year, Harvin could have 100+ catches and 1200+ yards and close to double digit touchdowns on an improved offense and also adds value on the ground, rushing for 345 yards and 2 touchdowns on 52 carries last year and he’s also scored 4 times in his career on punt returns. Not 25 until next May, Harvin is an incredibly valuable player who would almost definitely not return equal value in a trade.

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49ers’ Dashon Goldson admits he may have to play season under franchise tag

stevenlourie 49ers, News

With just 5 days left for him to sign a long term deal before the deadline for franchise players to do so, San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson admitted today that he may have to play out next season under the 6.2 million dollar franchise tag. Earlier this offseason, it appeared that a deal would get done as Goldson reportedly wanted 8 million yearly and the 49ers were willing to offer 7, not a huge difference to make up. On top of that, there were no shortage of deals being signed by safeties in the past calendar year for the two sides to use as reference as Michael Huff, Michael Griffin, and Eric Weedle have all signed deals in the range of 4-5 years, 7-8 million yearly, and 15-19 million guaranteed.

However, things no longer look so optimistic after Goldson’s comments, which were reported first on foxsports.com. It’s possible the 49ers just don’t see Goldson as that caliber of player even though they used their franchise tag on him. Last offseason, they let him explore the open market as much as he wanted before he settled on a cheap one year deal back with the 49ers.

Though he made the Pro Bowl last season, the 49ers may want him to prove it again in 2012 as he had done nothing substantial until 2011. On top of that, they may feel his strong season in 2011 was the result of incredible play upfront from the front 7. The fact that he was actually one of the most frequently beaten safeties in the league last year (4th most yards surrendered with 458, and 5th most touchdowns surrendered with 4) despite his 6 interceptions supports this. ProFootballFocus graded him 71st among 84 safeties in coverage, though he was above average against the run.

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Robert Griffin wants Redskins to select Josh Gordon

stevenlourie Commanders, News

Tomorrow is the NFL’s supplemental draft. Players who missed the deadline to declare for April’s draft, but have since decided they want to go to the NFL, almost always for off the field reasons, are eligible to be selected. Teams essentially bid on the players and lose a corresponding pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Tiebreakers are decided by April’s draft order. The most prominent example is Terrelle Pryor, who did not declare for the 2011 NFL Draft, but went in the 3rd round to the Oakland Raiders in the supplemental draft after the events that followed with the Ohio State scandal and Jim Tressel’s termination.

One of the biggest names in this year’s draft class is former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon. While no supplemental draft pick has had a significant impact in the NFL since the Ravens used a 5th round selection on Jared Gaither in 2007, expectations are high for Gordon with some even speculating that a team could use a 2nd round pick on him.

Gordon hasn’t played in 2 years, missing the 2010 season with a drug related suspension and missing the 2011 season while transferring to Utah, where he never suited up. However, in 2009, he caught 42 passes for 714 yards and 7 touchdowns and the athletic receiver was once viewed as a superior player to former teammate Kendall Wright, who went 20th overall to the Tennessee Titans in the 2012 NFL Draft.

The 6-3 224 pounder ran a 4.52 at his Pro Day earlier this week, passed a drug test, scored well on the Wonderlic, and wowed in his workout in front of representatives from 21 NFL teams. Among the favorites to select him include the Dallas Cowboys, the Cleveland Browns, the Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills, and the Indianapolis Colts. I expect him to go in the 3rd or 4th round.

Robert Griffin, the 2nd overall pick in this past 2012 NFL Draft, is a former teammate of Gordon’s at Baylor and he is reportedly pushing the Redskins to draft Gordon, this according to NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora. While Griffin may have some say in Washington already, it’s doubtful they fulfill his request simply because of the depth they already have at receiver. After signing Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon this offseason, the Redskins had to cut their leading returning receiver, Jabar Gaffney and now still have their top-4 receivers, Garcon, Morgan, Santana Moss, and Leonard Hankerson, in some order, established. A more receiver needy need like Cleveland or Miami is a more likely destination for Gordon.

Gordon is the biggest name available in tomorrow’s supplemental draft, but he might not be the only one who gets drafted. TCU Running Back Ed Wesley and Carson-Newman linebacker Larry Lumpkin could also be drafted in the late rounds and if not, they figure to catch on somewhere as undrafted free agents. The other players who have declared include Boise State defensive back Quaylon Ewing, Syracuse fullback Adam Harris, Iowa State offensive lineman Adrian Haughton, Georgia defensive end Montez Robinson, and McMurray wide receiver Houston Tuminello.

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Kevin Williams wants an extension from Vikings

stevenlourie News, Vikings

Heading into the final year of a 5 year, 33.2 million dollar contract, Kevin Williams wants an extension from the Vikings. Williams is still one of the league’s premier defensive tackles, ranking 8th among all defensive tackles on ProFootballFocus last year, and he has been a premier defensive tackle since the Vikings used the 9th overall selection on him in 2003, but he’s heading into his age 32 season so the Vikings may be hesitant to give significant money to a player in an extension that will kick in when he’s 33. More likely, the Vikings let Williams play out the final year of his deal.

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