Knowshon Moreno, Donovan McNabb, Mike Shanahan and David Garrard enter pivotal seasons where they will be scrutinized if they do not perform at a high level.
The Eagles seemingly came out of nowhere to sign Nnamdi Asomugha as they eye a trip to the Super Bowl.
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It?s the heart of the slowest time of year for the NFL, but that doesn?t mean some interesting things are not happening. To the intense delight of owners and those of us who can?t stand baseball?s tedium or soccer?s unbelievably horrific officiating, the NFL clock never stops ticking.
$.01--News came out over the weekend that former Bengals WR Chris Henry suffered from a degenerative brain injury at the time of his death last year. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy has been found in many former boxers and football players as a result of repeated blows to the head. Among the more disturbing effects of the condition is the likelihood of dementia and loss of impulse control, which would explain why Henry leapt to his death from the back of a moving pickup.
I know a lot of you probably don?t care about a guy like Henry, who was largely a pariah during his time in the public eye. But the more studies done on the brains of former football players, the more disturbing and powerful the evidence becomes that these sorts of injuries are widespread and impactful. This is an imperative that must not be ignored during the upcoming CBA negotiations. The NFLPA has an obligation to take care of its own and protect the alumni players, and there is too much to risk by letting this opportunity slip past. It?s incredibly sad to see a 40-something former football player that you grew up admiring and emulating suffering from dementia and unable to dress himself, or having a conversation with a urinal cake. I?ve experienced both firsthand, and that doesn?t begin to approach what happened with Henry, or former wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed himself and his family.
For far too long the NFLPA has been all about scrounging for every last nickel for active players, often at the expense of all other issues. That?s an overstatement, I understand, but that?s also the widely held opinion of most people. The NFLPA has a great opportunity to take a stand for the safety and health of the current and retired players, and DeMaurice Smith had better take advantage and get it done. Fractions of percentages of TV revenues mean nothing to a permanently mentally disabled veteran player.
$.02--Giants rookie safety Chad Jones was involved in a horrific-looking one-car accident over the weekend. If you haven?t seen the remains of the car, check them out here. It?s amazing he ?merely? broke some bones in his leg. Doctors were able to surgically repair the fractures and save the blood vessels, and there was talk of potential amputation due to the severity of the injury. The doctors appear optimistic about Jones? recovery, but he might need further surgeries to correct problems that could develop.
This is a real blow to the Giants, who suffered some truly wretched safety play last season once Kenny Phillips went down with his hip injury. Jones was being counted upon to help shore up the problem, but right now any talk of the resumption of his football career is secondary. There is still doubt if Phillips can return from his apparently chronic hip condition, and that means the G-Men once again face the season with a major hole at safety. Signing Antrell Rolle helps, but if Phillips can?t get back to his old self (which was grossly overrated to begin with) the Giants will try a package of Michael Johnson (not the sprinter) and Deon Grant. That?s likely a fatal flaw in a division with the passing attacks of their NFC East brethren, certainly if the pass rush disappoints once again.
$.03--The daily transactions reports are starting to include the signings of draft picks, but all the first rounders remain unsigned. Don?t expect that to change anytime soon. With most training camps still at least four weeks away, there is little impetus for the draftees to rush to terms. Between the sham that is salary slotting and the collusive actions of agents to pressure the teams (that?s right, I used the C-word) by threatening the dreaded holdout, very little gets done during this time frame.
That?s an outright travesty to me. I long for the college-educated first round draftee to take his own career into his own hands and remember that the agent works for him, not vice versa. Everyone knows the slotting math: take the same pick from a year ago, then add 5% with a little flexibility based on position. It?s not complicated and it?s been the status quo for eons now. I would like to think that at least a few players would trust in their educations enough to negotiate that on their own.
I don?t mean to demean the agents, because they do certainly serve useful purposes--few realize just how much they do pre-draft for their clients. But if we all trust that the colleges are truly preparing these ?students? for life, this shouldn?t be a difficult assignment. Better yet: hold the rookie symposium a little earlier, and have some reputable former agents hold a day-long workshop on contractual basics. All the small print is essentially the same in every deal; the only haggling is all about the Benjamins. If a player feels like he needs help from an agent, that?s fine, but it?s time to empower the players to take greater control of their own affairs.
I would love for bright guys like Ndamukong Suh and Derrick Morgan to schedule meetings with their teams and hammer out deals that leave both sides satisfied and the players reporting to camp on time.
$.04--There is much consternation over the pronouncement that the NFL is looking to expand the regular season to 18 games. That coincides with a reduction of preseason games from four to two, which is universally welcome.
Here?s my very brief outline of a solution to the issues that 18 games creates:
1. Rosters expand from 53 to 56, with game day actives raised from 45 to 50.
2. Injured reserve reform. IR is no longer a season-ender, though that option will remain. Teams will be able to place a player on IR for 4, 8, or 12 weeks as well, and replace them on the active roster during their stint.
3. One of the two extra games every year for each team will be played at a neutral site against a nonconference opponent, followed by a bye week. Players will be allowed to bring family along, with a mandatory 2-day break at the neutral site, be it Paris, London, Mexico City, Tokyo, Louisville, or Oklahoma City.
4. The draft expands to 9 rounds.
5. All teams get two byes. Those byes will be served concurrently with all teams in the same division, thus eliminating the ridiculous competitive advantage certain teams get from having more advantageous bye weeks.
$.05--5 random quickies!
--Trouble sure has a way of finding Michael Vick. Not passing judgment, just saying he has an uncanny knack for being in the frying pan.
--The loss of Willie Colon is a bigger blow to the Steelers than first blush might indicate. He has quietly become one of the better right tackles in the league, and the depth up front is thinner than Tony Kornheiser?s hair.
--If you have already participated in a fantasy football draft for this upcoming season, get a freaking life. If you paid for more than one fantasy guide, get professional help (from a doctor, not another fantasy 'guru').
--I?m working on season previews, and it?s real hard to find much room for optimism in Buffalo or Tampa Bay...and they?re both markedly better than St. Louis.
--Packers WR Greg Jennings held a star-studded bowling tourney in his hometown of Kalamazoo over the weekend, raising money for Habitat for Humanity. I thought you might appreciate hearing about an NFL player doing something good for a change.
Thanks to all who took the time to comment on my Father?s Day tribute to football and my son. I genuinely appreciate all the kind words and stories about raising kids with football in the blood. I?d be remiss to not thank my own father, who always found time to play catch and taught me how to tackle properly.
